THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK 



frame, so must the landscape architect segregate his pictures by 

 masses of planting or hedges, or walls or natural topographic 

 conditions. 



So then, the elements of design are order, or repetition, sequence 

 and balance; -harmony of color, shape and texture; segregation; 

 all of which result in unity of composition. But to these technical 

 qualities, which are indispensable and reveal in the work the 

 artist's thorough familiarity with the tools of his craft, one must 

 add a number of elements much more elusive, but exceedingly 

 important, such as correctness of scale in relation to the surround- 

 ings, gentlemanly restraint and fitness. In other words one must 

 consider to what an extent the garden design satisfies correctly the 

 human need for which it is intended. 



Now, if, in the light of the principles enumerated above, we 

 review the progress of a generation, as represented by the work 

 executed, we find that, on the whole, from a haphazard beginning, 

 we have gradually proceeded to eliminate or greatly to reduce 

 the appalling number of garden misfits so generally built in earlier 

 times. The inconsequential, spotty, heterogeneous planting, in- 

 nocent of group affinity, or fitness or even common sense, has 

 given way to well devised compositions placed on ground correctly 

 moulded to receive them. Size, shape, texture and color harmon- 

 ize, and ornamentation is appropriate and restrained. 



Last, but not least, there is a sense of social fitness in most of 

 these modern gardens which makes them typically American and 

 twentieth century rather than poor imitations of the products of 

 the pomp and splendor of the exalted classes of an historic period 

 which will never return. Gradually the genius of this country is 

 asserting itself in the design of our gardens just as it asserted it- 

 self in our architecture and in painting and sculpture, by drawing 

 inspiration from the finest world examples, by adhering to in- 

 violable fundamental principles and by conceiving design in terms 

 of the culture, social and economic needs of the America of to- 

 day. 



