BOOK OF GARDEN PLANS 131 
ESTIMATING QUANTITIES 
Though the planting should follow all heavy construction, the final 
plans for plant arrangement should be made early, that necessary changes 
may be made; it is much easier to move plants on the plan than after 
they are two years planted. While estimating the quantities comes the 
question of distance apart. For immediate effect the plants should 
nearly touch when in leaf. This means that the usual nursery-grown 
shrubs will be placed 3 to 4 feet apart, and that is altogether too close 
for the good of the plants five years hence. We suppose that the gar- 
dener will year by year take out the crowding plants in such a way that 
the mass effect will be little changed. But suppose that nobody thinks 
of relieving their congested condition? Then mass planting for im- 
mediate effect is bad business. Given time, one Tartarian Honeysuckle 
will occupy the space formerly taken by ten, and be more healthy than 
they could ever be. 
Suppose that we plant for the future comfort of the plants, how far 
apart? Many factors must be considered besides the present size— 
the soil in relation to the growth, the effect desired, the foliage about 
the planting, the size of the group, the care to be given, and the vigor 
and ultimate normal size of the species. The final spread of most woody 
plants will be equal to the height as given in catalogues and books. 
Take the height ultimately to be attained by the plant as your measuring 
stick in most cases, but consider the other factors. 
This means that the larger Oaks and Elms may be placed 100 feet 
apart, trees the size of Apple require 40 feet for normal development; 
Plums, 30 feet; Lilacs and other small trees, 15 feet; Spiraea Van Houttei, 
10 feet; Berberis Thunbergi, 5 feet; Spiraea japonica, 3 feet; Peonies, 2 
feet; Spiraea Anthony Waterer, 2 feet; Phlox and large perennials, 2 feet; 
most perennials, 1 foot; and small bulbs 6 inches or less. Woody plants 
placed too closely will shoot upward or become permanently dwarfed; 
herbs will spread until all the ground is taken by their roots, and their 
tops crowd, then they lose vigor and must be reset. The open spaces be- 
tween plants set for permanent effect can be taken up temporarily by the 
interplanting of other species. This is a subject in itself. 
Soil preparation comes next in our consideration. This is outside 
our present discussion, but it affects vitally the welfare of the planting. 
The soil preparation must be thorough, we are not setting posts. In 
many places it should cost more to get the ground ready than to buy the 
plants; usually it should cost at least a dollar to plant a street tree. [ 
can prepare a bed in five hours or five days, and it will look the same 
when the plants are set, but there will be a difference two years later. 
