PLANT COMPOSITION 1 7 



Hence the accidental colors predominate in flowers. Wherever chloro- 

 phyll is lacking or failing in its function the accidental colors gain the 

 ascendancy. 



It follows that if we study foliage hues in early spring and fall, 

 and arrange our plant material to be in complete harmony at those 

 seasons, it will be in harmony the year round. But there are other 

 limitations, and chief of these is value. 



Color value, or the degree of light or shade of a plant, is largely 

 determined by texture and density of foliage. For example, the Yew 

 has a close, fine texture, and the many fine twigs produce great density, 

 so that this plant has probably the lowest value of any we know. The 

 Elm is a good medium value, and the Cut-Leaved White Birch is a 

 good example of high value. With these extremes as a basis, the 

 observing student of plant material can determine the relative color 

 value of any species. In this connection it should be noted that hue 

 and intensity sometimes modify the value impression of a plant. For 

 example, blue seems darker than yellow. Bright red seems darker 

 than pink- 



The disposition of plants according to color rests entirely with the 

 designer, and the success or failure depends on his individual taste. In 

 a general way, the chief "rule of thumb" that may be formulated is 

 that whatever the type of planting, a particular hue, intensity or value, 

 or combination of these qualities should be unobtrusively in evidence 

 throughout the whole effect, just as a certain theme carries through a 

 musical composition. Monotony should be precluded, or variety in- 

 troduced, by gentle contrasts of color qualities, the bold and striking 

 contrasts being confined to points requiring accent, or special attraction 

 for the eye for special reasons. 



Simultaneously with, and as a result of color contrast, we have 

 contrast of form. The principle just stated for the use of color quali- 

 ties applies also to the use of form characteristics in composition. 



The characteristics of form are silhouette, or outline, and horizontal 

 and vertical axes, with foliage texture and method of branching as 

 modifying features of secondary importance. The silhouette, or outline, 

 is determined by the contrast of the color mass of a plant with the 

 color masses surrounding it. In drawing objects we frequently indi- 

 cate this outline by drawing it, although no line actually exists. In a 

 general way, plant outlines form circles, triangles, and parallelograms. 



Horizontal and vertical axes refer to imaginary lines connecting 

 points of greatest breadth and height, parallel and perpendicular to the 

 ground line, respectively. The horizontal axis varies in height above 



