26 



THB GREENING PICTORIAL SYSTEM OP LANDSCAPE GARDENING 



Evergreens should be used freely, especially near 

 the entrance and antepark, and colonies should be in- 

 terspersed through the cemetery itself. They give a 

 peculiar sense of beneficence, and their presence con- 

 duces to revive tender memories of our dead, presaging 

 in themselves a message of everlasting life. The dark- 

 colored varieties of Pine, Spruce, Fir and Cedar are 

 all suitable, if we only heed the caution not to plant 

 detached subjects, but in colonies. 



It is also well to remember that few evergreens are 

 perfectly hardy, especially under the very trying condi- 

 tions that prevail in a cemetery,, where they get only 

 perfunctory care at the best. iJ'c adz'isc cemetery 

 boards to coiisnlt an expert in such matters, as a mis- 

 take in planting is fatal to good effects, and not as 

 easily covered up as a certain other kind of fatal mis- 

 takes which are co\'ered up in the cemetery. 



The average life of a burial-ground is three genera- 

 tions, and consequently it requires what may be called 

 a progressive development, that it may grow in beauty 

 year by year and feel and reflect the softening hand of 

 time. It is certainly a delicate problem to forecast the 

 development of a cemetery property, a problem de- 

 manding a certain artistic prophetic vision, and it is 

 unwise to commit the making of plans to any Init the 

 most competent designers; and this the more especially 

 when we reflect that generations yet unlDorn will share 

 with us, even in greater measure than ourselves, the 

 practical results of our work. It is a debt we owe to 

 posterity to plan our cemeteries in an artistic manner 

 and construct lliem in a wav that will endure 

 beautiful cities for tlie li\-ing; let us n(.)t neglect the "silent city 

 of the dead." 



And in order to preser\-e unity of composition, all work should 

 be designed hy a competent landscape architect whose artistic 

 taste will connect the related parts Into a Ijeautiful l)ird's-eye \-iew ; 

 and so far as practicable, the execution of the design should Ije 

 under his direction. Such is the practice al)road, and it has re- 

 sulted in the most beautiful cemeteries the world has ever seen. 



In this country the art of landscape gardening lias not yet 

 come into its own. Many people are liardb* aware that such an 

 art exists. As a consequence it is tlie common ])ractice to let 

 tlie local surveyor " ])lat out " the grounds, and an}-l)o<l\' who 

 happens to have a team does the grading, a saw-and-hatchet man 

 l)uilds the fences, and trees and shrul)s are i)lanled liere and there, 

 hit and luiss, to suit every wlnm of in(h\ i(hial opinion, until in a 

 little wliilc tlie grounds look like the craz\-(|uilt of some tooth- 



EVERGREENS FOR CEMETERIES 



This is the sexton's residence, built a Uttle to one side of the entrance to a beauti- 

 ful cemetery. The picture shows the proper use and grouping of evergreens, and we 

 feel at once the forceful effect of the mass. Adjoining the house and beyond it is a 

 park section filled with Maple, Elm, and Beech. Again we have the open lawn. 



We are building 



less maiden aunt that time has overlooked. And finally when 

 the cemetery board awakes to a realizing sense of the situation, 

 it costs more money to undo the mistakes that have been made 

 than it would to develop a new property. 



Whilst in Europe the writer luade a careful study of land- 

 scape compositions as applied to cemeteries, and much valuable 

 information was gained which is at the command of an}-one 

 interested. Please write for any further information desired. 

 Cemetery designing is a specialt}' with us, and our landscape 

 organization is at your service for consultation and engagement. 



The l)fautil'ul in nature teaelies the lessi)ii of the l)eautiful in eonduct. 

 It is a moral melody. There is a wondrous relation between that propor- 

 tion w hich the eye detects and that subtle casuistry of act and circumstance 

 which tlie soul alone perceives. 



