240 
The Carden Magazine, January, 1921 
W 1 
F ? J 
passerby will exclaim: “ What a beautiful home this is!” 
Whereas, if the yard is a collection of plants rather than 
a picture done in living green, the observer exclaims, 
“What excellent Lilac bushes these are!” One yard 
tells a story, the other is simply a horticultural exhibition. 
We may make life as artificial as we please, and live 
as artificially as possible; yet the picture of a real home 
will always stir our hearts. If, then, we wish our home 
plots to possess the charm of individuality, and to make 
them spots of refreshment for ourselves and our neigh- 
bors, we must not neglect these three already mentioned 
requisite considerations: 
1 . The chief function of the grounds is to serve as an 
appropriate frame or setting for the house in which 
we live, our home. 
2. The materials chosen should be those which afford 
the amplest medium of expression. 
3. It is the part of wisdom to combine, wherever and 
whenever practicable, utility and beauty. 
T HE arts have kept in step with other phases of pro- 
gress and the architectural monstrosities of a half 
century back have been succeeded by present day homes 
THE PEAR, THE APPLE. 
AND THE CHERRY 
on the home lawn of the 
writer who has already suc- 
cessfully practised what he 
now preaches! 
THE REAR OF THE 
HOUSE 
where one can almost gather 
apples from the upper porch 
r i 
VV T V'l 
THE STEPPING-STONE 
WALK TO THE SPRING 
Girt with temptation nearly 
all season through, for there 
are Cherries (tree on left), 
Raspberries (left in front 
of Cherry tree), Apricots 
(small tree centre near 
house) and Grapes (right) 
to lure the water-carrier 
from the path of duty 
W E OUGHT to think of our home plots, it seems to 
me, as Mr. Frank Alvah Parsons, of the New York 
Art School, says we should think of our homes, which 
should not be museums for the collection of bric-a-brac 
and bizarre objects, but should contain only such things 
as harmonize with and reflect the character of the 
occupants. Similarly, our home plots are more than 
mere botanical gardens. The very fact that they are 
home plots means that they should not be botanical 
gardens. A botanical garden is primarily a place for the 
collection and display of plants of all sorts, without in- 
dividual significance. The home plot, on the other hand, 
should have above all things a distinct meaning. It 
should suggest peace, comfort, plenty — not a dogging 
superabundance, but the satisfying plenty of honest 
personal effort. For fruit trees, and berry bushes, and a 
little garden space do suggest some toil — the pleasantly 
beneficial toil that adds so much zest to the carrying 
on of the home. 
Concerning this matter of ornamenting the home 
grounds, Liberty H. Bailey says that if the planting is 
rightly done so as to produce a charming picture, the 
