Close to the House 



of individual plants, and thus produce a 

 confused medley instead of an harmonious, 

 appropriate garment for the base of his walls. 

 Here, even more, if possible, than in other 

 portions of the home-grounds, appropriate- 

 ness should be the first touch-stone to deter- 

 mine choice. If '^specimen plants" are 

 wanted for their own sakes, this is the last 

 place where they should be put. 



Here, if a tall shrub is planted it should 

 be because a tall one is needed, not be- 

 cause a particularly handsome tall one has 

 been seen in a nursery or in some neigh- 

 bor's grounds. The question should not 

 be whether one likes hlacs especially, but 

 whether lilac-bushes can be well used in the 

 general scheme. With a little care a good 

 spot can be found for any special favorite ; 

 or, if not, somiething that will w^n itself as 

 high a place in its owner's affections can be 

 found to use instead. 



Of course an overuse of shrubs should be 

 avoided. We do not want a house to look 

 as though it grew in a thicket, or as though 

 the cultivation of shrubs were its owner's 

 chief concern. Mass shrubs in the angles of 

 8i 



