THE AVENUE. 



69 



The Avenue. — In a previous page it was said that the 

 avenue is a species of approach, leading toward the 

 house in a straight line, and bordered by parallel rows 

 of trees. It may be asked, when is this form of approach 

 to be adopted ? and what is to be done with it when it 

 has been established ? These questions are answered in 

 our observations on the park, along with some remarks 

 on the relation of the avenue to the general scenery of 

 a place. At present it may be enough to say that 

 avenues are most effective on flat surfaces, and that it is 

 only on these, and perhaps on ground with a slight and 

 uniform inclination, we can recommend them to be in 

 any case planted. If the undulations of the ground 

 are but slight, open avenues may still be admissible ; 

 and these open avenues, when connected with the lawns 

 of the mansion-house, should be of considerable breadth. 

 When, however, they are formed as approaches, their 

 width should not be greater than the height to which 

 the tre.es forming them usually grow — say sixty or 

 seventy feet for common elms, planes, and limes, and 

 from seventy to ninety feet for beeches and English 

 elms. If wider, they will be deficient in that stately 

 and imposing effect which is the principal charm of an 

 avenue. The open variety requires double rows of trees 

 on each side ; and if these are planted at twenty or 

 twenty-five feet apart, they form subordinate close 

 avenues, like the side aisles of a Gothic church, and 

 afford sj>aces for charming shaded walks. The usual 

 effect of the avenue in the park is to divide the land- 

 scape ; and this, indeed, is the principal objection to its 

 adoption, as in this respect it is almost totally incon- 

 sistent with the modern style of laying out grounds. 

 There are sometimes positions near the entrance-gate 



