SUBDIVISION OF THE GROUNDSSUBDIVISION OF THE GROUNDS Having located the house as regards exposure, we may now turn our attention to the subdivision of the space around it. There is difference of opinion as to the amount of space to be left in front of the house. Personally we feel that the American habit of leaving the bulk of the property in front and open to the public gaze is less desirable When the house is improperly located it is sometimes best to develop gardens at a distance from it, and not attempt a close connection. There must be an adequate setting, so place the house as near the street as the building law will allow and still leave room for a bit of lawn and planting. This area in front of the house, forming the public lawn or foreground area, is usually left in lawn, with a few shade trees, some planting against the house front, and shrub borders or hedges along the side property lines. It ought not to have its restful breadth broken up by flower beds or a scattering of "specimen" shrubs or evergreens. It serves solely as a foreground to the house picture, and all planting should be designed to enhance rather than obscure the architectural beauty of the building. The house should be set comparatively near one of the side property lines. Just
enough space may be left for the necessary
service driveway, with perhaps a strip
of dawn and screen plaiting. That arrangement
leaves the larger area on the other side,
the living side, where gardens may be developed
without being cramped for space. On the
very narrow lot this location is particularly
important, for if the house is placed in
the center there will not be enough space
left anywhere to do anything with. Here
the house is in the center of the lot and
the porch is on the street side. No adequate
point of egress from the house to the garden
has been provided. Since there is no room
at the side of the house for a garden,
the best solution of the problem is to
place it at the far rear of the property-on
an axis, perhaps, with some window or gable
and to reach it by means of stepping stones
around the house from the front door, and
across an open lawn. more
garden planning... |
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