TASTE AND TACT IN ARRANGING HOME AND OTHER GROUNDS. 



The arrangement suggested outside the buildings is as 

 free and varied as possible, with a view to pleasing gar- 

 den effects, combined with a large percentage of space 

 for hardy shrub and flower borders. By locating the 

 greenhouse to the extreme right of the grounds at the 

 back, as the residence is to their extreme left at the front, 

 the desirable end will be secured of having all the space 

 adjacent to the greenhouse in one body of sufficient area 

 to contribute a considerable degree of boldness to that 

 part, and form quite an ample spread of lawn. This 

 back garden would be one of the special attractions of 

 the place, and, cut off in a measure from the street end 

 by the heavy planting in the neighborhood of 5, while 

 not entirely excluded from view, it would serve as the 

 lodestone to draw flower-lovers (who should become 

 flower-buyers) to the further limits of the area open to 

 visitors. It would be the handsomest, as it would be 

 the broadest, section of the garden. 



Another obvious gain in locating the greenhouse to the 

 extreme right will be the chance afforded of introducing 

 curves in the walks. Indeed, by this means it will be- 

 come possible to invest the walk system to the front of 

 the greenhouse and the residence with a series of 

 pleasing curves that will go far towards ridding the 

 place of the charge of stiffness. By having but a single 

 walk entering from the street, a degree of breadth is 

 secured in the extreme front of the lawn that is a great 

 improvement as compared with the effect of two walks 

 at the front, shown in the original diagram. With an 

 elm or other shade-tree near the veranda, and several 

 shrubbery clumps of irregular outline near the street 

 line, this part should present a fine appearance from the 

 street, as well as from the house. 



Back from the street a small area of lawn, open in the 

 center, is met, which loses itself in grass walks among 

 heavy groups of shrubs and flowers farther back. The 

 real aspect here should be that of a large lawn-plat, oc- 

 cupied towards the rear with bold plant and shrubbery 

 borders. This idea would be strengthened by the open- 

 ness towards the street. Were the space there occupied 

 with shrubbery beds, nothing having the semblance of 

 a lawn would be left, and the effect would be greatly 

 weakened. The planting of these borders, as well as of 

 all others, should follow the rule of setting strong-grow- 

 ing shrubs in the center and rear parts of the borders, 

 devoting a space toward the edge to all kinds of hardy 

 and other flowers suitable for cutting. 



As our correspondent makes no request for lists of 

 suitable kinds, it is assumed that she is sufl5ciently ac- 

 quainted with flowering-plants and shrubs to be able to 

 make a suitable selection. It may be said in the way of 

 general information, however, that nearly all the hardy 

 flowering-shrubs are valuable for cut-blooms, while 

 some, such as the lilacs, weigelias, mock-oranges, roses 

 and hardy plumed hydrangeas, are wholly indispensable. 

 Were some of the smaller beds — for example, the one 

 lying between the round bed at 5 and the house — to be 

 occupied only with shrubs to their edge, the effect would 

 be good. While the rear garden, 6, would present an 



aspect entirely its own, it may, as regards the planting 

 of the marginal masses, be treated in general as sug- 

 gested above. We favor keeping all kinds of plants or 

 shrubs by themselves, not only for convenience, but for 

 the better effect 

 thus secured. 

 Still, that the 

 plants of differ- 

 ent distinct 

 masses should 

 run into each 

 other somewhat 

 at their margins 

 is deemed quite 

 desirable. 



Between t h e 

 front and back 

 garden, along the 

 walk, is intro- 

 duced an attract- 

 ive feature, 

 namely, a series 

 of arches over 

 the walk, to be 

 covered with 

 climbing shrubs 

 producing flow- 

 ers. The list 

 might embrace 

 roses, clematis, 

 honeys uckl es, 

 trumpet - vines, 

 wistarias, etc. 



To the rear of 

 the heavy shrub- 

 bery adjoining 

 the grass-plat, 6, 

 might be an open 

 garden spot for 

 the growing of 

 carnations, bou- 

 v a r d i a s and 

 other winter- 

 flowering stock 

 during the sum- 

 mer. In case it 

 is desired to en- 

 arge on the glass 

 area, no better 

 place for locat- 

 ing the extension 

 appears than 

 next to the back 

 fence, at 8. 



From consid- 

 ering the im- 

 provement of a 



plat a little out of the ordinary line of home embellish- 

 ments, we proceed to touch upon a plan also rather 



— Improve.ments Suggested for 

 Place Shown in tic. i. 



