CHAPTER VIII 

 SELECTION AND COMBINATION OF PLANTS 



Plants used as individuals, such as shade trees about the house and decorative 

 "specimens," outstanding from the borders or flanking the steps at the entrance 

 or otherwise isolated from any groups or plantations, attract attention to them- 

 selves by reason of their isolation, and therefore become comparatively con- 

 spicuous, regardless of the appearance of the plants themselves. As plants so 

 used have a degree of prominence to begin with, one should be especially careful 

 not to choose as specimens trees or shrubs which will become too conspicuous. 

 Of course, the common errors in planting a yard are the use of too showy plants, 

 and the promiscuous, unmotivated use of too many of them. As has already 

 been said, a mere collection of plants in a yard is quite distinct from a yard 

 judiciously planted in accordance with a good design. In small yards, one cannot 

 break up the areas with many individual plants without producing both incon- 

 venience and ill effects. 



If individual plants can have a useful function to perform in addition to the 

 display of their beauty, they will become a more fitting decoration to the unas- 

 suming and simple character suitable for small yards. For example, shade 

 trees have an apparent use, aside from their decorative value; but too many 

 flowering shrubs or fancy trees scattered about have evidently nothing but their 

 own attractiveness to contribute to the yard. Even the suggestion of over- 

 decoration in a small yard is unfortunate, whether by plants or by architectural 

 details. A careful selection of plants and a guarded and skilful use of a few speci- 

 mens will accomplish greater effectiveness than will an undiscriminating lavish- 

 ness of decoration. ; ^ 



Individual trees in small yards are very prominent. There is not room for 

 many of them, and the trees seem larger by contrast with the smallness of the 

 yard. It is wise, therefore, to plan for all the individual trees at one time, and 

 with a view to their combined effect. If but a single tree is used in the front yard, 

 it should be very carefully placed with respect to the balance of the whole picture 

 as seen from the street. If the house is not situated midway across the width 

 of the lot, one way to restore the appearance of balance on either side of the en- 

 trance walk and the door is to place a tree somewhere on the narrower side. Of 

 course, skill is necessary in the selection of a tree of just the right size and appear- 

 ance to restore the balance. This tree should not be so obvious as to compete 

 for the interest which should center in the house front and the main entrance. 

 Neither should it cover up too much of the house, nor be too bulky, or even 

 unfortunately small, in comparison with the street trees. Of course, the nearer 

 it is to the front door, the less it will count as a balance; and on the other hand, 

 the farther it is to the side of the lot, the more important the same tree will 

 appear. If, on the opposite, and the larger, side of the front yard another tree 

 seems desirable, then the tree for the narrower side may be still larger, and a 

 comparatively small tree or even a large shrub will suffice to counterbalance 

 it, as the latter will most likely be at a much greater distance from the front 

 door. It must be remembered that the front door should be the center of in- 



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