348 THE STUDY OF PLANT COMMUNITIES * Chapter XII 



LANDSCAPING 

 The planning and planting of vegetation for home beautifica- 

 tion or in public parks or gardens involves aesthetic considerations 

 but likewise should be backed by an appreciation of the ecology 

 of the species involved. If plantings are not made in terms of the 

 requirements of the species used, they cannot be successful. Soil 



FlG. 186. On such road-building projects erosion control must be given 

 serious and prompt attention. These great fills have been stabilized by me- 

 chanical means and have likewise been planted. If aesthetic considerations 

 have entered into the stabilization program, they are not yet apparent— U. S. 

 Forest Service. 



texture and structure must be considered as they affect water 

 relations. Slope and exposure modify drainage and temperature 

 just as they do in natural environments. Tolerance of shade, light, 

 or extremes of temperature cannot be ignored when planning 

 artificial combinations of species. Some species must be planted in 

 moist places, some require full sunlight, some need to be partially 

 shaded. Competition and all the other factors affecting natural 

 communities operate among planted species as well. The same 

 factors that limit the ranges of natural communities operate to 

 limit the usable materials of landscape design for different sections 

 of the country. Landscaping is, therefore, most successful when 

 based upon ecological principles. 



