PLANTING 133 



is always to be seen at a distance, as in large parks, 

 far from the driveways, detail is of no conse- 

 quence, and any subtle plant characteristic wiU be 

 lost. Therefore, in distant planting^ it is neces- 

 sary to seek f or Jwld effect If informal planting 

 is used in a foreground planting scheme, as a bor- 

 dering for driveways, the individual interest of the 

 plants may be emphasized, and a great deal of at- 

 tention given to detail. 



Formal planting comists always of regular 

 forms regularly placed, but in a majority of cases, 

 though this is not usually understood, the regular- 

 ity is o btained bv selection rather than by clip ping. 

 A certain amount of regularity must be the char- 

 acteristic of a formal scheme. Straight lines and 

 angles are emphasized on account of their greater 

 precision, while the informal type lays larger em- 

 phasis upon curves and rounded masses. 



In the formal type l ittle is left to th e imagi- 

 nation. Few unexpected arrangements appear. 

 The whole scheme is visible from one point, in- 

 stead of unfolding gradually to the view. This 

 emphasis of lines and angles may be attained by 

 the position of plants, spacing so as to define the 

 outline sharply by the selection of plants of natu- 

 rally regular shape, and stiU further by keeping 



