CHAPTER II 

 TYPES OF PLANTING 



PLANTING design may be classified as of five general types, 

 or styles, each distinguished from the others by differences in 

 methods of grouping or arrangement, and to some extent accord- 

 ing to the species of plants used and methods of cultivation and main- 

 tenance. These five groups are (1) formal, (2) informal, (3) 

 naturalistic, (4) wild, (5) gardenesque. As these types are perhaps 

 arbitrarily named, it is best to define them at some length. 



Formal planting involves restraint. Plants of restrained symmetri- 

 cal form are planted as specimens in geometrical lines or groups, or 

 in masses restricted to geometrical form. Plants of this itype with 

 dense foliage of fine texture are best adapted to obtain the extreme in 

 rigidity of line and mass. However, there are many species of varying 

 leaf texture, but densely branched, whose habit of growth adheres to 

 a restrained, symmetrical form, or permits pruning or clipping to mold 

 them into the desired form, as in hedges or topiary work. 



Formal planting naturally finds its principal employment where 

 the general landscape design is along formal lines, although individual 

 specimens of formal habit are often introduced into informal arrange- 

 ments to accent certain features or to serve as features in themselves- 



City and suburban places of limited area seem to be most intens- 

 ively developed and easiest to maintain when designed and planted in 

 the formal style. Such a planting produces an effect of dignity and 

 orderliness in keeping with the prevailing types of architecture and the 

 restraining lines of streets and property lines. 



Large suburban and country places, parks, cemeteries, golf courses, 

 etc., are seldom planted along formal lines throughout. As a rule, 

 only the important buildings and their organized entourage are so 

 designed and planted, and this depends entirely upon such factors as 

 style of architecture, environment, and what use is made of buildings- 



"Formality" in planting does not imply exclusively rigid plant 

 forms or masses. It often involves simply symmetry or regularity of 

 arrangement of plants, as specimens or in straight-edge borders or 



