] 'l^tiblic Grounds Adapted io Cnltnrc o/'fStfbfrojjical 'I*l(iJits, cfc. 



Public Gronnds Especially Adapted to the Culture and 

 Exhibition of Subtropical and Flowering Plants. 



BY ROBERT MORRIS COPELAND. 



THERE are many opportunities for using tender and subtropical plants where the 

 cost is of little consequence, that is, for the decoration of public grounds. 

 Many persons thinking that trees only are suitable for public places, as they give 

 shade, and are too high to be injured by carelessness or mischief, they would 

 use few shrubs with the trees, and only those that are perfectly hardy. They would 

 plant their trees and shrubs in a very formal way, preferring rows or lines to any 

 groups or irregular combinations. They think that public grounds ought only to be 

 used for play grounds for children, parades for firemen and soldiers, and for prome- 

 nade. They would permit a music stand, or a fountain, but would prefer to have 

 everything as simple and as little decorated as possible. They believe in this kind 

 of treatment, because they fear that the spirit of mischief will induce the public to 

 break or steal flowering plants, and that the cost of watching, or replacing injured 

 shrubs or flowers, and the vexation that must follow their injury, more than offsets 

 any pleasure they can give. The most of those who reason in this way, do not 

 understand the beauty of variety and irregularity. They are sufficiently cultivated to 

 appreciate neatness, order, and geometrical harmony, and, perhaps, the beauty of 

 contrast, but they do not .feel the pleasure which comes from contrasts, and the 

 harmonies which are the result of combining and contrasting trees, shrubs, and 

 flowers, and they cannot be induced to consent to a trial of any methods of laying 

 out, and planting grounds, difl^erent from those they have always seen. 



Other persons, again, who enjoy thoroughly all the beauty, variety, and pictur- 

 esqueness of any kind of landscape, and who would consent to any irregularity or 

 massing of plantation, which would give a good eff"ect, are very much opposed to the 

 introduction of flowers, or any of the subtropical plants into public grounds, whether 

 small or large, on general principles. There is a story told of a wealthy parvenu 

 of Boston, who had a poor brother. The rich man gave a party to his peers in 

 wealth, and when one of them asked him during the evening for his brother, and 

 expressed his surprise at not seeing him, the host answered : " Ah, yes, he is not 

 here. I didn't invite him; you know we must draw a line somewhere." 



Those who would prevent grouping of trees and shrubs draw their line of orna- 

 mental vegetable decoration at perennials and tender plants. They admit that the 

 fears of their conservatories are misplaced, that there is no danger that the public 

 will injure or steal anything, but lest the space may be crowded, the ball and 

 parade grounds be circumscribed, or a larger gardening and police force be neces- 

 sary, they would omit in public places, all but trees and hardy shrubs, and introduce 

 the latter sparingly. I disagree with them entirely. Public grounds are for the 

 public, and they should appeal to all sides of the mind, and off"er opportunities for 

 amusement to those who love flowers, and are too poor, or busy to cultivate them, as 

 much as to boys, firemen, soldiers, and promenaders. If a village or city can aff"ord 

 but one public common, or square, and that too small for anything but a ball or 

 parade ground, I think it should have the preference, and not risk the beauty of 



