SOUTHERN home: GROUNDS 5 
Ornamental Plantings 
The charm of ornamental plantings is one of the things that is not properly 
appreciated, but. for adding value to the home grounds and joy to life, they 
have a very high worth. Suppose you were about to buy a home. Would you 
buy a house surrounded by a few weeds or a rank growth of grass? Or, would 
you prefer a place that had a few trees, shrubs, or plants set out here and 
there? There is every chance that you would take the latter. 
Now, in planting your grounds, first consider the foundation. Without 
plants the house stands out above the lawn, seeming to have no relation to it. 
There is nothing to soften the appearance and make the two blend. Before going 
any further let us examine the picture at the bottom of page 4. There are vines 
running up the wall and hiding its bareness. In the foreground there are a 
few shrubs neatly arranged which cover the bare foundation and give the 
house a really home-like appearance. The planting cost perhaps ten dollars or 
less, but does it not add considerably more than this to the value of the property? 
It is permanent, not requiring an annual planting and being in full foliage and 
flower before a planting of annuals would make any display. 
Elaborate plantings should not be undertaken without the aid of a land- 
scape architect. By this we mean plantings that are to cost considerable and 
are to te quite extensive in size. For the ordinary home a few dollars, invested 
in flowering shrubs, roses, and vines planted by your own hands, will give you 
greater joy than you can imagine. You will find it fun to plan your grounds, 
and then vou will have them the way you prefer. 
There are two very eflfectivc ways to set out the plants. One is to bunch 
them in clumps. This method is called "mass planting." The other way is to 
plant each separately. This is known as "specimen planting." Both methods 
are all right in their place, but ordinarily it is best to use the mass method for 
low-growing plants, and to plant the taller growing trees and use evergreen^ 
as specimens. 
Your planting may be harmonious or contrasting. For harmony you can 
use plants whose leaves are the same shade of green or those whose flowers 
are nearly the same color. If the opposite is wanted, you will need some plants 
with dull green, some with bright green, and a few with variegated foliage. 
Variation in outline always adds interest. This is obtained by massing 
plants which grow to different heights. If due care is exercised in the selection 
of shrubs for these groups, a planting can be secured that will have some plant 
or group of plants at its best during the entire spring, summer, and fall. Broad- 
leaved evergreens may be worked into the plantings to give a pleasing w-inter 
effect. 
In all ornamental plantings, avoid straight lines; plant low trees and shrubs 
in masses, and taller ones as specimens; do not crowd or obscure attractive 
views; shut out undesirable objects by screens. 
Mass Plantings 
As shown on the preceding page, one good place for mass plantings is at 
the house foundations. There are many other places where they may be effec- 
tively used. On the boundary line of the grounds, on corners of the lawn, and 
at the bends of walks are good spots to put mass plantings. Figure A on page 
3 shows a clump of evergreens massed at the curve in the walk. The planting 
should always be on the inside of the curve if it is on a small scale. 
Shrubs (especially the low-growing kinds) should be planted in masses, and 
every home grounds should have a few clumps of them. The illustration on page 
6 shows a neat planting beside a walk through the grounds. You may not care 
to spend the money for such an extensive planting as this, and it is not neces- 
sary, although this planting did not cost so much as you would think. 
If you live in a city or village, a fence may now be separating your front 
