14 



only those deciduous plants which are sufficiently dense to have in winter an 

 appearance similar to that in summer should be chosen. 



While planning or staking out the plants, one should constantly bear in mind 

 the spread of each plant at its maturity, and the immediate appearance of a 

 plantation should always be sacrificed for its future effect. Plantations made for 

 immediate effect will require annual thinning or replanting to some extent for 

 at least ten years. On the other hand, if one wishes to save expense, and can 

 afford to wait three or four years for reasonably good appearances, then with 

 plants spaced upon the basis of a permanent plan, he will be surprised to find 

 what a small number are actually required to plant his yard effectively. Of course, 

 each kind of plant requires a different spacing, and shrubs spread and grow to a 

 satisfactory degree of maturity faster than do trees. But all the plants of a border 

 will do best, and in the end make a better looking border, . if so spaced as 

 to barely merge when their ultimate lateral growth is attained. 



Trees mature more slowly than do shrubs. Furthermore, they make very little 

 lateral growth until their rapid upward growth is completed. For example, an 

 American- elm twenty-five feet high rarely has a spread of more than ten feet in 

 diameter, but of course this tree grows very rapidly, and, as it is not very dense, 

 and also eventually spreads widely, it is not good for borders in small yards. The 

 English beech is slow growing, but it spreads laterally when but a young tree and 

 with but little training may be restrained from spreading unduly over the lawn. 

 The American beech is a taller tree than the English variety, and not so dense. 

 Both these trees are very good for use in a border, especially because they will 

 thrive under somewhat shaded and crowded conditions. In these respects hem- 

 locks are also well qualified, but it is well to keep spreading and strong-growitig 

 shrubs and trees from crowding them too closely. However, as tall trees grow 

 more slowly than shrubs, it is customary to fill in about them with shrubs for 

 temporary appearance. In this case the trees should be carefully located with 

 respect to their future growth, and the outline of the border should be delineated 

 as intended for its futtire development. Then the space intervening, and, in fact, 

 all the area about the tree, should be filled in with the temporary shrubs. One 

 must be stu'e to pull out aU these shrubs before they crowd the tree or the other per- 

 manent plants, and if this is likely to be neglected, the temporary plants had 

 better not be used. IL 



When the <£stinctive groups and individual trees and shrubs have been located 

 and staked about the lawn, the general outline of the border may next be deter- 

 mined at the more important points. The entire outline of the borders should 

 in general 1?e a reasonable one: it should be consistent with the size of the area; 

 it should be suggested by the form of the area and in relation to the adjoining 

 areas; it should be adapted to the focal points and to the lines of view. 

 The outline should also be smoothly ciurved, and should define not an angular but a 

 pleasing form. The curves should not all be similar; some of them should be 

 larger and some smaller, with the smaller curves not so narrowly and deeply in- 

 dented as to be eventually obliterated by the future growth of the plants. Usually 

 it is easier to work out the first general scheme for planting on the plan of the 

 entire yard, or on a tracing thereof, as by this means one Can get a conception 

 of the entire yard at a glance. If planning on paper proves difficult, one may, 

 after determining the main points and outlines, turn to- the yard itself, and work 



