PARK AND C E M ET ER Y 
291 
along the path that led to his hut or cabin. 
These were naturally set in regular heels 
and straight rows. 
The plants at first were only those hav- 
ing an economic value, but as the aesthetic 
sense developed and luxuries were de- 
manded, plants gay with color and pleasing 
in form found their way into these gardens, 
and in time they ceased to be primitive 
and simple, though they partook no more 
of the qualities of the natural landscape 
than did the beds of onions and turnips 
that they succeeded. In pattern they be- 
came complex and elaborate to the last 
degree, but never natural. 
Gardens of that type have an appropri- 
ate existence today in the immediate vicin- 
ity of formal and imposing buildings, or in 
secluded areas shut off from the surround- 
ing natural landscape, provided always 
that the owner enjoys that sort of garden. 
In the case of most of us, however, our 
parks, school grounds and home premises 
are but parts of the one great far-reaching 
landscape. Our Imildings are not imposing 
enough to dominate any considerable area 
and to shut ourselves in completely from 
the adjoining neighborhood does not con- 
form to the democratic ideas of the most 
of us. 
Beginning, then, with the general con- 
siderations, we should try to catch the spirit 
of the surrounding landscape and make our 
buildings and plantings conform to that. 
As a concrete example, the dominant 
element in a prairie landscape is horizontal 
lines. Our buildings, therefore, should he 
low and broad and the trees of a spreading 
rather than an upright habit. A house with 
sharp, narrow gables and Lombardy pop- 
lar trees would be as much out of harmou}’ 
in such a landscape as a few bars of rag- 
time in the midst of a Beethoven sym- 
phony. 
If tall rows of willows are considered 
necessar\- for the shelter they afford, they 
should be Hanked by generous plantings of 
wild plum, thorn-apple and elder, that they 
may not seem too foreign to their sur- 
roi’ndings. 
The western side of the city of Spokane 
is built up against a mountain shoulder 
filled with huge jutting rocks and covered 
with magnificent towering pine trees. On 
this elevation are a number of residences 
that with their surroundings constitute some 
of the finest examples of landscape art in 
America, so perfectly do they conform to 
the massive ruggedness of their picturesque 
surroundings. In this one spot, at least, 
some artist has been great enough not to 
yield to the seductive temptation of the 
aristocratic canna l ed and the gaudy ob- 
trusi\eness of the coleus set in wondrous 
pattern. .\nd yet for all that the places 
look refined, homelike and comfortable, the 
fitting abode of civilized man. 
In the same way premises may be made 
to partake of the spirit of the prairie and 
yet not have the expression of loneliness 
and isolation that naked buildings set on 
a vast plain would naturally convey. And 
by the same rule a home in the woods can 
be made to assume the sylvan atmosphere 
without seeming too shutin and secluded. 
Next in importance to having the prem- 
ises as a whole in harmony with the region 
in which they are located is that of having 
the different individual items not only in 
keeping with their surroundings, but a 
seeming essential part of them. 
Not far away from where we are now 
assembled the summer visitor might have 
beheld a number of detached, bright-col- 
ored flower beds conspicuously striving to 
destroy the otherwise benign and restful 
calm of a grove of sturdy oak trees. 
Perhaps we have all been more or less 
embarrassed at times in the possession of 
a w'heelbarrow load of perfectly good canna 
plants with no particular part of the land- 
scape at hand that seemed to crave their 
presence. And we may all have solved the 
problem in the same way — by putting the 
canna bed where there w'as the most room 
and where it would “show off” w'ell and 
excite the envy of our neighbors. 
But in our sane moments we somehow 
feel that canna beds and a grove of rugged 
oak trees have nothing in common. 
We have all gathered the trillium and 
wild phlox and adder-tongue in the heart 
of the forest and we know how wood 
flowers should and do grow. Why can’*' 
we remember those things wdien we plant? 
.And last fall as we treaded the coun- 
try roads we never ceased admiring the 
wonderful blue asters and., cheerful goilden- 
rod nestled against the hazel bushes and 
dogwood and reddening sumacs. Wliere 
was the school ground or park or home- 
stead that could claim such a wealth of 
natural artistry? 
Just where to make a beginning toward 
creating a better taste and practice in land- 
scape art is a question for which we would 
like to find an answer. It is somethin.g 
that will have to grow slowl}' and naturally, 
just as good taste in architecture and house 
furnishing has been growing within the 
memories of all of us. 
The colleges and universities nearly all 
give some attention to landscape art and 
the courses generally are good as far as 
they go. Some of this work is gradually 
filtering down into the common schools so 
that a larger proportion of our population 
will know a good landscape when they see 
it. 
We still have with us landscape garden- 
ers who seem to feel that they are not do- 
ing their duty by their clients unless they 
introduce a number of showy and con- 
spicuous features. Our love of display is 
often more highly developed than our sense 
of art and appropriateness. 
The surest way to develop an apprecia- 
tion and understanding of the elements 
and factors that determine a perfect land- 
scape is, in the words of the apostle, to 
think on these things. 
Perfection in any field, as we all have 
seen and proved, comes not by chance, but 
through thought and study and diligent 
application, and in this way alone can we 
give to our landscape creations the natural- 
ness and charm that will make them a joy 
and an inspiration, such as most of us need 
in the hurr\' and confusion of our daily 
lives. 
New Publications Reviewed 
“The Natural Style in Landscape Gar- 
dening,” by Frank A. Waugh, just pub- 
lished, is one of the most interesting and 
useful books on landscape art of recent 
years. Although the natural style in land- 
scape gardening has been practiced for over 
one hundred years and has been strongly 
favored in England and America, this is 
one of the few rational statements of its 
principles offered. Here w'e have a clear- 
cut, workable outline of the technique of 
design. To conserve and develop the na- 
tive landscape and to make it accessible 
and intelligible to all is declared by Prof. 
Waugh to be the chief purpose of land- 
scape architecture. The work is charac- 
terized by a broad view of the field of art. 
Some of the leading and novel features of 
the book are : A clean-cut and intelligible 
philosophy of the natural style ; a practical 
W'orking method of structural design in the 
natural style: application of these technical 
methods in the conservation and the de- 
velopment of the natural landscape: the 
spiritual interpretation of the landscape. 
The book is handsomely executed in 8vo, 
cloth with gilt stamping, and is published 
by Richard G. Badger, of Boston. There 
are Hi pages of illustrations. The work- 
sells for $ 2.50 net. 
“Outdoor Theaters" are an interesting 
and modern landscape problem on which 
literature is verv' limited, so that Prof. 
F. .A.. Waugh’s new book, “Outdoor The- 
ters," will find a hearty welcome from stu- 
dents of landscape architecture. Garden 
theaters and outdoor auditoriums of all 
sorts have a great future in .America. They 
should be designed by skilled architects 
and landscape gardeners, and the founda- 
tions upon which all successful design 
must rest are clearly defined in this work. 
The book is divided into three sections: 
I. Questions of Use, 11. Problems of De- 
sign, HI. Selected Examples. In the first 
division the traditions and uses of the out- 
door drama and theaters are carefully con- 
sidered. The second part deals with the 
size, location, stage, lighting and everv 
other detail of construction. The third 
part offers detailed descriptions, plans and 
pictures of a large number of successful 
open-air tbeaters in Furope and .America. 
While the book gives this very useful tech- 
nical informat'on for the professional man, 
it gives also a discussion of the types of 
entertainment suitable for outdoor produc- 
tion. The work sells for $2. •1(1 and is pub- 
lished by R;chard G. Badger of Boston. 
