TYPES OF PLANTING 



Fig. 3 Informal Planting 



Naturalistic planting obviously contemplates the use of native 

 plants as far as possible, although many plants of foreign origin resem- 

 ble native plants in character and often seem to improve upon natives 

 for certain situations. This type of planting differs from the informal 

 in that it follows lines less obviously studied, and calls for greater 

 individual variety. Instead of a mass effect composed of varying sec- 

 tions, the effect to be sought is a general continuity of mass, which, how- 

 ever, is not impressed upon the observer, due to a kaleidoscopic rota- 

 tion of form, texture, height, and color, such as occurs in the seemingly 

 haphazard compositions of nature. Masses of one plant species should 

 occur only at infrequent intervals, and should be relieved by random 

 individual specimens or small groups of contrasting plants. Instead of 

 the long, sweeping curves of informal planting, a most irregular outline 

 seeming to ramble carelessly is the aim, though the masses at the most 

 advancing and retiring points should unobtrusively mark a graceful 

 line defining the area under development. 



Naturalistic planting is seldom adapted to small places unless they 

 are set down in the midst of considerable native growth, in which case 

 it may seem to promise the greater harmony with environment, pro- 

 vided that a suitable style of architecture is employed on the house. In 

 country places, parks, and golf courses, the areas not adjacent to, and, 

 therefore, not influenced by architectural works, may most happily be 

 planted in naturalistic style. Cemeteries, on account of the commercial 

 aspects of their development, do not permit of any general planting 

 along naturalistic lines, but may satisfactorily be planted in a judicious 

 combination of the informal and naturalistic, though the latter is 



