Flowers 119 



purposeful pattern around them, supporting them and binding 

 them into place, their beauty gains as they attain to the dignity 

 of meaning, of purpose. And, to carry the analogy still farther, the 

 designer gives the eye intervals of rest from the dazzle of precious 

 stones in a piece of jewelry, which correspond exactly to the relief 

 from color and brilliance which should be provided for it in the 

 garden. 



The rule of contrast that came in for attention when light and 

 shade were under consideration, here presents itself again. 

 Applied to the question in hand, it shows us at once that there 

 must be places where no flowers bloom, in order to accent and 

 emphasize the flowery spots. It more than hints that the secret 

 of brilliancy and a spirited liveliness in the garden Ues in the 

 liberal use of white flowers — because, of course, white furnishes 

 a much more vivid contrast with many colors than green, and 

 contrasts more vividly with green itself. Indeed, white blossoms 

 are in one way the most precious of all — the diamonds of the 

 collection, that enhance the colors of all they are brought in 

 contact with and at the same time reconcile them to one another 

 when they are inclined to clash. But this I mention only in 

 passing ; the questions that have to do with color are premature 

 just here, for the first proposition must deal with the locating 

 of flowers in the garden — with the manner of determining their 

 place in any particular garden design. 



Sometimes it is easier to find out what ought to be done by 

 ehminating the things that ought not to be done than by any 

 other process. I think this is especially true of gardening, from 

 the landscape or pictorial side, at any rate. We have grown so 

 accustomed to doing it wrong that the habits are fixed, and we 

 cannot oust them by the accepted simple plan of ignoring them, 

 and cultivating the right ones in their places. They simply 



