PARK ADMINISTRATION 



ADVICE TO THK DESIGNER 



The matter of restriction in clioice of material, due to difficulties 

 of transplanting' or maintenance of certain varieties, can be met only 

 by compromise if the issue is raised. The landscape designer must 

 aim to get the point of view of the park force whose standing depends 

 upon the growing condition of the park plantations, and who in self- 

 protection will naturally exert every effort to eliminate difficult gar- 

 dening requirements. Fair consideration of their problems will 

 prevent the designer from including in his plans, unless absolutely 

 indisi^ensable to the design, material that is recognisedly troublesome 

 or trying to the gardener. In return the park gardeners will usually 

 meet the designer half way, and facilitate his design by accepting 

 without complaint jjlant varieties which may be maintained with 

 reasonable effort of mulching, spraying, etc., on their part. 



EVENTUAL CJROWTH OF MATERIAL TO BE EORESEEN 



Regarding the j^romiscuous pruning which takes place bi-annually 

 in so many informal park jjlantings, ruining them from the landscape 

 designer's standpoint, it is fitting to speak of the matter without 

 mincing of words. Trees and shrubs are too often selected for their 

 appearance in immatin-e stages, and planted without thought of future 

 growth. A rigorous shearing of a grou^^ of shrubs is prima facie 

 evidence that the wrong planting material has been used in that place. 

 All naturalness of plant growth is immediatelj^ eliminated with the 

 advent of the cropping process in which the gardener loves to indulge. 

 A great many plant masses, condemned on sight as being formless or 

 ugly banks of foliage, if given liberty from the shears would soon 

 develop into graceful comjDositions. Cutting back is necessarj^ in a 

 great many cases to keep planting within bounds, but this is a tem- 

 porary remedy rather than a cure. Plants properly selected icill not 

 outgrow their location; and tliere is no place in which plants cannot be 



243 



