PLANTING MATERIALS 47 



TREES 



Of all available planting material, none is more 

 useful than trees. They have size, gracefulness, 

 strength, dignity, age (Fig. 8). They carry the 

 sky line to a great height. They provide shade. 

 Their leaves are objects of perpetual interest from 

 the variety they show in size, shape, margin, color 

 and texture. Their spring coloring may be quite 

 different from that of summer, and in autumn 

 they may fairly riot in their wealth of reds, 

 yellows, purples, and browns. When the leaves 

 finally drop to the ground, their beauty is not 

 all gone, for they still have pleasing shapes and 

 colors and might well serve as motives in designing 

 carpets and rugs. The leaves are useful as well as 

 beautiful, for they breathe and prepare the sap of 

 the trees for nourishment and then protect the roots, 

 preserve moisture and finally furnish food. This 

 is but one illustration of nature's combination of 

 beauty with utility, a combination that will be found 

 more and more prevalent with increased study and 

 observation, and may even extend to the landscape- 

 gardener's work of designing parks and home grounds. 



Some trees are evergreen, holding their green 



