IN FLORIDA 35 
and I am theirs, and we seem, in some measure, to understand 
each other. It is arest and comfort to me to go among them and 
visit with them. 
And it seems to me that if landscape architects and those who 
create gardens had more of this feeling we would hear less about 
matching colors and being shocked over dreadful discords in 
vegetation. Nature violates the rules on every hand. What 
are you going to do with a tree or shrub that bears green leaves 
and masses of purple flowers, the very worst of discord? This is. 
just what one of our finest Bauhinias does; so does the well- 
known Bougainvillea,—yet these are both generally admired. 
We are told that a certain class of plants is taboo, that we 
must not under any circumstances use the Crotons, Acalyphas, 
Pandanus or anything that has showy, variegated foliage. I 
want to lift my voice against this. In the cold and dreary north, 
where winter prevails for half the year, where fogs and cloudy 
skies are the regular thing during much of the rest of it, such 
plants may be out of place, and somber conifers and orderly 
greens may be the proper thing. 
But Florida is a land of illimitable light and glory, where the 
sun shines in splendor nearly every day throughout the livelong 
year, where there is no winter and the forces of nature are always 
active. Everything shows the effect of this splendid light and 
heat power; the atmosphere is soft and brilliant; all animate life 
puts on brighter colors than it does in a cold climate; all nature 
is simply bubbling over with life. These gorgeously colored 
plants were developed in the tropics; they are as much a part of 
the general scheme as are the bright feathers of parrots and pea-. 
cocks or the noble leaves of palms. In my judgment they may 
to a reasonable extent, be mingled with other vegetation. 
The following quotation which bears directly on this subject 
is taken from ‘‘How to Lay Out a Garden’’ by Edward Kemp, 
an English gardener of the highest standing. ‘‘By a due admix- 
ture of different sorts of plants, variety may be additionally 
realized. The habit and character of trees and shrubs exhibit 
a wonderful amount of variation. Some of them, indeed, possess 
unusually striking characteristics, and assume a most peculiar 
garb. But there is something of difference; and little peculiari- 
ties show themselves to advantage in a small place. The selec- 
4 
