DECORATION OF THE APPROACH. 



31 



sidered necessary^ and its amount stonld be regulated by 

 the extent and cbaracter of the domain. Generally speak- 

 ing, nothing more of this kind is needful than what 

 belongs to the entrance-gate, or the particular portion of 

 the park or dressed grounds passed through. In relation 

 to this point, and particularly in regard to the exclusion 

 of exotics, a good deal of finical pedantry has been exhi- 

 bited by writers, who seem to have forgotten that the 

 larch and the horse-chestnut were exotics in the eai-ly 

 part of last century. It may be conceded that rhoden- 

 drons, lilacs, and other flowering shrubs are out of place 

 in the open park ; but these plants are out of place, not 

 because they are exotics, but because they are associated 

 with the ideas of culture and keeping which, in the 

 situations referred to, they are sure not to receive. It is 

 certain that good approaches are often spoiled by exces- 

 sive decoration. Such is particularly the case when 

 they are separated from the pastures on each side by 

 slender or temporary fences. The slight restraining 

 effect which these fences have on the continuity of the 

 park is much augmented when shrubs are planted along 

 their edges. Certain circumstances, however, no doubt 

 warrant a greater amount of ornament than we have 

 considered to be generally necessary. The approach, on 

 its way from the entrance-gate to the mansion-house, 

 may pass only through woods and pleasure-grounds, or 

 at most may only skirt the grass lands of the park, and 

 be separated from them by permanent fences. In these 

 situations the sides of the approach, except where they are 

 narrow stripes, afford available space and opportunity for 

 collections of exotic trees and taUer shrubs ; but dwarf 

 shrubs, unless required for the completion of an arbo- 

 retum group, should be reserved for the flower-garden. 



