It's smart (and also thrifty) to avoid the mistakes made by others; here are valuable pointers on exactly what not to do. Picture this modest home:

Though it offers but a small space for flowers, it is poorly handled. There are lovely garden water features, however they are unkempt. The two evergreens, barely seen, are Norway spruce, the average approach to foundation planting. These trees can reach a height of sixty feet. Their annual growth is 8-12 inches. In no time at all, the window will be covered, the tree at the steps will cover the door.

The path alongside will be overgrown, there will be no room for flowers. To make the most of the small site at little cost, privet could be planted right against the house; the tops are cut just beneath the window and depth kept at no more than 12 inches from the house wall. It could also be carried around against the front steps and kept cut to fit their slope. This would provide a background for many more flowers: tulips, daffodils in spring and crocus along the edge.

In summer, use any kind of annual from seed, marigold, zinnia, petunias with an edging of sweet alyssum. The whole planting would cost much less than the amount of ten dollars. The opposite side must be planted the same provided there is sunlight in the summer. For shade; use daylilies, funkia, and, for continuous color, begonias and torenia. In the spring, the homeowner's fancy turns lightly—at times, too lightly—to thoughts of landscaping.

He adds trees, shrubs, flowers—then stands back to admire the effect. Even if he is content for a few years, disaster (in the form of shrubs and trees growing to gargantuan proportions) may eventually strike. To get the most out of your efforts and to avoid disillusionment, study the errors others have made—and turn them to your profit. The flagged path at the entrance of the attractive home, below, is too prominent. It should be softened.

The patches made by a few little circular flower beds have no effect on the path and only tend to cut up the lawn without adding anything of value. The path needs a flower border on each side, the border being edged with alyssum or even petunias for the summer. Growing irregularly, they would tumble onto the path, reduce its width and give a charming approach. In spring it could be filled with tulips, hyacinths or similar flowering bulbs, with an edging of pinks whose mat-like foliage would spread onto the flags.

Two rounded Globe arborvitae should be set, one on each side just where the flagging starts from the sidewalk. With actual space two feet wide, the overflow would give a foliage depth of over three feet on each side. Should one desire to have the edge along the path trim rather than irregular, any of the more compact annuals could be used, like dwarf ageratum. A band of pachysandra could be used and trimmed with the shears if winter interest is desired. A flowering tree off the left corner would screen out the sights behind and give better scale to the house.