PLANTING DESIGN OF PARKS 



exact knowledge in the principles of design governing the use of such 

 plant material will make each new precept encountered seem applicable 

 to some one of his daily problems. 



TOO GREAT^SHADE DETRIMENTAL 



Planting is done for two reasons: for shade and for ornamental 



interest. Shade is usually overdone. The visitor to a park in summer 



seeks the cool recesses of shady grove, but does not desire subterranean 



gloom. His chief requirement is that the walks which he follows, or 



the seats where he may desire repose, shall be amply shaded; the sun 



r^may revel over all other areas so far as he is concerned. Yet it seems 



1 to be a popular park doctrine that another tree shall be planted in 



I every open space. Such a policy has made dismal woods of many 



\ park areas, shutting out all light and air, and converting them into 



l^foliage crypts. 



/ Trees, especially in small parks, had best be planted only along 



I the walk lines or where a grove is desired to furnish shade for park 



i benches. All other spaces are preferably left free of trees, both to 



serve as breezeways during summer weather and to admit sunlight into 



rthe park. An artist knows that pictorial composition depends in large 



\ part upon contrast of light and shade, and the shade cast by dense trees 



in a park composition needs to have for contrast the play of sunlight 



lupon open lawns. It will be impossible to obtain landscape pictures 



; without such lighting. Moreover, it is in the framing and setting of 



these green lawn fragments that the plant designer finds opportunity 



to create contrastful compositions of foliage and flower. 



ADORNMENT, NOT GARNITURE 



1 Planting of parks, though popularly done for the purpose of 

 \ rendering them ornamental, should never appear in the character of a 

 ' display. A preponderance of vivid-hued specimens with cui'ious leaves 



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