The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California

Landscape Gardening

It is quite customary to make the turn-in especially on moderate sized places, at right angles with the exterior highway. While this arrangement is often best, it might be greatly improved, in many cases, by substituting" a less abrupt turn. The main drive may frequently be arranged to leave the public way more gently at an acute angle.

From the entrance to the house or other main point of interest the drive should proceed as directly as possible, and still be gracefully curved. Its course and direction will be modified chiefly by the contour of the ground. Sharp elevations or depressions must be alike avoided, by carrying the drive around them; but the grade of the drive must be compromised sometimes with the course to be adopted, and nothing will take the place of good judgment in doing this. The curve should be gentle and not winding. It should reveal something new at each turn. The best view of the house should be carefully treated. It own effect should be reserved to it, and not squandered on a half dozen unimpressive and inadequate views. If the drive gives one good view, the poor views ought to be hidden by plantings or by the course of the road.

For very large and stately mansions, or in comparatively small grounds, or where formal design is used, the approach may be straight and lead directly to the front of the main building. Such an arrangement lends dignity to a building which is in itself imposing. Such an avenue of approach is usually planted with rows of trees. Other drives, besides the main approach, may be treated in the same general way as walks.

Walks and subsidiary drives must be provided where people want to walk or where they expect to drive. But walks and drives are not artistic in them- selves. Every foot of walk or drive is a trouble, an expense, and usually a distinct detraction from the beauty of the place. They should, then, be designed to fit the actual demands of traffic about the place.

The most practicable thing is often to await the explicit demand for a walk. When a path begins to appear through the grass, the need of a walk is manifest and its general direction pretty accurately indicated.