9 



Of course, the brilliant color of fruit scattered through foliage does not have the 

 same intensity of effect as does an entire tree or shrub of red, purple, or yellow 

 foliage, or even as does a profusion of flowers of similar colors. Generally speaking, 

 slight contrasts make for broader effects, and thus tend to enlarge the apparent 

 size of an area, but strong color in any considerable quantity is apt to produce the 

 contrary effect. Light colors, — ^the delicate shades of pink, yellow, and, of course 

 white, and hght or dark blue, — all these may s^ely be used in gardens or borders, 

 if in keeping with a weU-conceived general plan. A plentiful proportion of dark 

 green foliage about colors will always improve the quaUty of the latter, and also 

 will accentuate the effect of it. However, these remarks in reg;ard to the use of 

 color are intended merely to suggest a guarded use of it. 



Extreme contrasts, and the plant characteristics responsible for them, are no 

 doubt evident to interested persons; but degrees of prominence in plants, due to 

 their form, habit, texture, or value of green, in various combinations, and also 

 the contrast of these characteristics with adjacent foliage, — ^all this close obser- 

 vation and comparative study, — is unusual but nevertheless necessary. If the habit 

 of a tree or a shrub is such as to make for regularity of form and for a sharp, 

 distinct outline, then the form itself will largely determine the degree of prom- 

 inence. Both ends of the scale, in respect to form, have already been mentioned. 

 The most vertical produces, unquestionably, the strongest degree of accent. Con- 

 ical forms, and tall, narrow trees whose sides are somewhat rounded, may be 

 considered first in degree of prominence. Columnar,eliptical, round, flatly round, 

 and similar forms follow in their order of degree of accent; and unless these forms 

 are sharply defined, their degree of accent wiU be largely due to their isolation 

 and to their resulting individuality, rather than to their individual prominence 

 of form. Doubtless, a plant displaying a very perfect spherical form, due either 

 to natural habit of artificial trimming, has a considerable focalizing value. And 

 also, if the form is such as to strongly express horizontaUty, it is thought that 

 its degree of accent is greater than those of the intermediate forms. 



Other characteristics, however, play an important r61e in the determination 

 of degrees of accent. An evenly fine texture or density of foliage materially 

 aids in the expression of form, not only because these characteristics make for 

 mass effect, but also because they are likely to result in a clean-cut outline. Of 

 course, this may sometimes be accomphshed artificially by means of shearing. 

 Also, if the branching of a plant or its detailed habit, either in branching or in 

 leafing, expresses lines parallel to the general lines of the plant, then the habit 

 of the plant accentuates its form. If the outline of a plant is one of densely 

 vertical lines, while the branching is evidently variable in direction or even con- 

 trary to these Unes, then some confusion of expression results, and the degree 

 of accent is thereby lessened. Color, or the value of unusual color in foliage, 

 results in contrast. But while there are exceptions to all rules, let it be accepted 

 without further explanation that, at least in small yards, these contrasts should 

 be restricted to {he use of darker and richer qualities of green foliage. Further- 

 more, coarse-leaved plants and most "weeping" forms are unsuitable for purposes 

 of accentuation or for general massing. 



As already suggested, the degree of accent which may be derived from any 

 plant depends not only upon the characteristics of the plant itself, but also upon 

 its contrast with the adjoining plants. For example, if one is using only form and 



