Landscaping should consist primarily of on-site plants left in place 
and protected during construction, or moved into place to comple- 
ment the preserved plants and the structure. Lichen-covered rocks 
can be preserved or carefully moved to heighten the harmonious 
effect. Natural pools, rushing streams, or falls can be used or care- 
fully altered to emphasize the wondrous ability of still and moving 
water to evoke in man the moods of relaxation, reflection, and 
excitement. 
If the designer decides, on the other hand, that the structure (a 
stop sign or special visitor center, for example) should stand out from 
its surroundings, he may emphasize contrast to attract attention. 
Some sites, especially the relatively flat or unspectacular ones, bene- 
fit by having their best features accentuated through contrast with 
imaginatively designed structures. Landscaping in the immediate 
vicinity of a contrasting structure might be used to heighten these 
effects. Plants of unusual shape, color, or flower; semiformal layouts 
of paths and terraces; and fountains or artificial falls may be taste- 
fully used by the designer to add interest to a drab site. 
54 
Most successful structures are designed as an appropriate mixture 
of harmony and contrast. How well the structure blends with its 
surroundings, how much it claims the space around it, or how much 
it contrasts with the environment should be evolved through the 
creative talents of the trained designer. If all of this is done with 
perception and imagination, if the site and the structure work to- 
gether, if the result is one of visual attractiveness and functional 
unity, then we have achieved beauty. 
