General Principles 87 



nothing but ugliness and incongruity would follow. The 

 pleasing union of two contrasted things is only capable of 

 being effected when the parts to be joined have an irregular 

 margin and can be imperceptibly and intricately inwoven. 



Certain sorts of plants are much more fitted to produce 

 contrast than others. Those with either pinnated leaves, or 

 extremely small or pale green or silvery foliage or slender or 

 weeping branches may be particularly noted as adapted for 

 contrasting with dark and heavy foliaged evergreens. Aca- 

 cias, several species of sumach, ailanthus, common ash, 

 weeping willow, deciduous cypress, weeping birch, and com- 

 mon larch are examples of the first class. Cedars, yews, 

 pines, and evergreen oaks are some of the opposite kinds. 

 Early and gay-flowering shrubs, or those which have white 

 blossoms, show to great advantage when backed by ever- 

 greens. An almond supported by two or three pines, a 

 few red-flowering currants scattered among rhododendrons, 

 syringas flanked by hollies, and rhododendrons in which 

 the pale flowers and dark leaves are united, make excellent 

 contrasts. 



In colors, the deepest contrast may sometimes be had 

 without at aU trenching on the laws of harmony. White 

 flowers, whether in borders or in beds, where only one color 

 is used, will always match well with any shade of red or blue, 

 and yet nothing could be a greater contrast. Green will like- 

 wise adapt itself to any other color, and perhaps all the 

 more appropriately the more it is in contrast with it. Dark 

 green is the best contrast and the nicest mixture with white, 

 and pale yellow green with dark red or deep blue. Green 

 also seems to improve a light stone color; and hence houses 

 built of common white stone, as it is called, look best when 

 they are reposing on grass; and the pedestals of vases or 

 other sculptured figures follow the like rule. 



