Frederick Law Olmsted and His Work 
is an equally appropriate 
treatment for that front, be¬ 
sides being of decided utility 
on public occasions. It pos¬ 
sesses dignity and simplicity. 
These effects are produced by 
happy proportions and a 
judicious placing of architec¬ 
tural objects and trees. 
The planting in general has 
been skilfully planned so as 
to preserve and enhance the 
best views of the building 
and so fulfil the third pur¬ 
pose of the design. As a re¬ 
sult the visitor can enjoy 
direct front views of the cen¬ 
tral portion and dome from 
opposite sides, and agreeable 
diagonal views of the entire 
east and west fronts from four 
different points. Not only 
were the grounds designed so 
as to preserve good views of 
the Capitol building, but also 
to keep the fine vistas and 
views from the building, 
views of the main city ave¬ 
nues and related buildings, 
and up and down and across 
the valley of the Potomac. 
This was achieved by a 
thoughtful location of drives 
and walks and by intelligent 
control of the planting. By 
itself this would not have 
been difficult to accomplish, 
but the hot climate of Wash¬ 
ington made general umbra¬ 
geousness desirable, and to 
combine open views with suf¬ 
ficient verdure and shade was 
not so simple a matter. 
Moreover, the broad paved 
spaces necessary for use led 
to disjointedness, but this dis¬ 
jointedness was lessened by selecting trees that 
would grow together in groups,—monotony being 
avoided and variety and vivacity secured in the 
shrubbery and smaller plants. 
The consideration of the planting in connection 
with the views brings us to the fourth purpose of 
the design, viz: the making of a small city park. 
The extensive paved plaza and the unusual num¬ 
ber and width of drives and walks were unfavor¬ 
able to a park-like effect but barring these there 
was nothing in the treatment of the grounds for 
the other purposes that rendered them unsuitable 
THE WESTERN LAWN 
for profitable use as a park. It simply remained 
to carry the planting further and establish certain 
park features. The climate of Washington per¬ 
mits of a most unusual range of vegetation, nu¬ 
merous woody plants not hardy to the North flour¬ 
ishing there and some not common to the South 
except at considerable elevations. It also appears 
hospitable to a larger number of foreign plants 
than the climate of most other parts of this country. 
A study of the planting reveals five main aims: 
(i) the preservation of broad and effective lawns. 
It is astonishing that the other purposes of the de- 
125 
