COLOR 97 



Plant colors are seen in leaf, blossom, fruit, and 

 twig or stem, and the predominance of any of 

 these elements will determine the color value of the 

 i^lant. To be sure, many plants are interesting in 

 all these ways, but necessarily at different seasons 

 of the year. Texture of the plant surfaces w^ill 

 have a considerable influence on the color value of 

 a plant. The rhododendron leaf is attractive not 

 only on account of its dark, warm green color, but 

 also because of the glossy texture, which catches 

 the light sharply, making brilliant high lights and 

 shadows, and giving greater variety to the foliage 

 color. The ^' dusty miller," because of its rough 

 surface, and the common velvety mullein have a 

 different color value on account of their texture, 

 which catches the light so as to spread a "bloom" 

 over the surface, and the result is that the natural 

 colors, at a slight distance, are lessened in inten- 

 sity and neutralized. 



Plants vary in color value as their distance 

 from the observer increases, and in planning the 

 color of a planting scheme it is well to bear in 

 mind the position and distance from w^hich the 

 plants are to be viewed. Distance always tends to 

 decrease value contrasts and to add blue to hues. 

 Plants that, close to the observer, might appear 



