THE CEMETERY LANDSCAPE

Cemetery design is fundamentally design of the landscape,
and requires an understanding of the relations between
plot size, size of headstones, row layout and, most im-
portant, the landform. Arlington's landscape development
has been steady and impressive, a major contribution being
made by the handsome natural topography. Steep hills
with softly modelled stream cuts form swales to the higher
elevations. The breastworks of Civil War Fort McPherson to
the southwest have been removed, now grass covered,
its promontory is one of four on the old grounds. Dewey
Circle, the Memorial Amphitheater, and the Custis-Lee
Mansion occupy the others. The original cemetery areas
were, until the Civil War, almost entirely covered by first
growth oaks and elms, except for "the pasture" below the
main house. Military construction and the post war resettle-
ment of freed slaves destroyed much of this forest, and so
the trees of Arlington are for the most part second growth,
planned as part of the Cemetery development. The open
fields of the older areas are now shaded by 60 and 70 foot
trees which in summer create a place of welcome coolness
and shade. At eye level the land is generally open in charac-
ter, the vista only partially obscured by the trunks of the
trees. Topography, not landscape, controls one's view from
within the cemetery grounds. Trees and headstones meas-
ure the recession of space, giving an atmospheric quality
not unlike nineteenth century landscape paintings. There
are few plantings of shrubs or evergreens, and thus the
Cemetery has been spared the intrusion of man-shaped,
controlled landscaped features and has retained a more
natural appearance as an extensive forest clearing below
the lofty trees. In winter the open tracery of branches over-
head softens without impeding light, and serves to en-
hance visual interest at many levels of scale. The fortunate
conjunction of this parklike atmosphere with the planning
and headstone standards of the military cemetery, both
superimposed on a strong landform, creates Arlington's
characteristic landscape.

There are several methods by which plots were laid out at
Arlington. In a few areas, single plots were used, bearing
no direct relation to adjacent plots. The primary method of
plot layout, however, was on the row system. In the sol-
diers' quarters on flat ground, the rows were straight. In
other areas, especially in the older officers' quarters, the
rows were curved. Where the curves follow the land form

Arlington Cemetery, with Fort Myer South Post in foreground

in long sweeps, the effect is generally pleasing. In many
instances, however, the rows
are curved tightly, and
changes in the land form or in the design juxtapose two or
three conflicting systems. Until recently the impending
shortage of available land caused the character of newer
burial areas to the north of Memorial Drive to be closely
tied to a policy of "maximum yield," resulting in changes
in the treatment of burial areas. Plots were reduced from
6 x 12 feet to 5 x 10 feet, while the size of the standard
headstone remained the same. These present stones are
larger than those of the oldest sections, and the re-
sult was a further sense of crowding. To increase the area
for burials the verges along roads were reduced to 15
feet. With the curving alignment of roads and a grid layout
for burial plots, this resulted in an uncomfortable, ragged
edge, exaggerated by mixed, random planting of shade
and flower trees along the curb. The third consequence of
the maximum yield policy was a limitation of planting
within the burial areas to the intersection of plot bound-
aries. This meant large trees could not be planted, and at
the same time the number of trees was drastically reduced
so that the shaded effect of the older cemetery could never
be achieved. Were it possible to grade the areas in a clear
geometric manner, the rows of headstones would seem
appropriate. As it is, however, the rows of headstones cross
the rolling landform, creating a sense of confusion.

To alleviate these problems in the most recently developed
burial areas, certain remedial steps will be taken. Roads
will be planted with large, regularly spaced shade trees, to
introduce a sense of order and to lessen the ragged appear-
ance of the narrow verges. Within these burial areas large
shade trees are to be planted in groves where possible,
Occupying unassigned plots. Heavy planting along Jeffer-
son Davis Highway, to the north, will provide a suitable
backdrop to the newer portion of the Cemetery, and will
help to screen highway traffic.

The architects also studied alternatives of plot layout,
headstone design and other details as they relate to the
overall appearance of burial areas. The current "general
type" marble headstone will continue in use in the newly
developed areas. Return to a plot size of 6 x 12 feet was
determined to best balance demands on cemetery area, to
conform well to standard headstone dimensions, and to