566 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of aspect, elevation, distant views, local attractions, shelter, con- 

 venience of access, &c. 



(1) We shall require plans and elevations of the house. These will 

 show the position of all doors and windows of the living-rooms 

 commanding views of the garden &c. as well as the domestic quarters. 



(2) We shall proceed to mark on the plan the lines of view offering 

 the most extensive and picturesque vistas. 



(3) We shall take note of the existing features worth preservation, 

 or which may offer a nucleus for further development, and shall look 

 particularly for those characteristics likely to suggest some keynote 

 of individuality. 



(4) We shall observe those positions exposed to the wind and the 

 situation of undesirable objects either on the site or beyond the 

 boundary which must obviously be screened, as well as those of any 

 outlying features which may some day be worth incorporating in an 

 extension of the grounds. 



(5) Observations will be made of the sunniest, the shadiest, and the 

 least inviting spots, of the general lie of the ground, of the necessity 

 for drainage, of the nature of soil and sub-soil, of the kinds of trees and 

 shrubs which flourish locally, and other matters of similar nature. 



(6) We shall consult our client in order to discover any special 

 preferences as to the style of the garden, and settle upon such detailed 

 features as are desired to be introduced, such as the number of tennis 

 or croquet grounds, rose, rock, water gardens, herbaceous border, garden 

 houses, &c, and we shall note any special likes or dislikes with regard 

 to plants and flowers. 



The suitability of any particular spot upon the site for the features 

 determined upon will be considered. 



(7) The dimensions required for the kitchen garden and the location 

 of the glass-houses will require attention. 



Inquiry will have to be made as to the time of year, if any, during 

 which the owner is likely to be absent from the house, and the season 

 at which the garden is required to be at its best. 



Consideration will be given to the number of gardeners likely to 

 be permanently employed in the upkeep of the gardens. This point 

 does not always receive sufficient attention, although it is necessary 

 not to make a garden too large for the staff to maintain. 



In cases where there is to be a limit of expenditure on the gardens, 

 the maximum cost will be a spectral figure 'constantly in view. 



The considerations governing the selection of the site for a house 

 need not concern us at present. The importance of the matter in 

 relation to the garden is fairly obvious, and it becomes doubly evident 

 when one commences to arrange the line of the carriage drive. The 

 latter question is one which cannot be considered too carefully, as 

 it generally influences the arrangement of the entire garden. Unfor- 

 tunately it is too often settled as a separate detail, as if it were of 

 no real importance to the garden design. In such cases it has generally 

 been constructed by the architect and handed over to the landscape 



