262 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
PLANTING TO SET OFF MONUMENTS 
An illustrated address before the Norfolk Convention of the Association of 
American Cemetery Superintendents, by Sid J. Hare, Landscape Architect. 
NO. 74. BACKGROUND OP NATIVE WOODLAND. WITH FOREGROUND OF 
SHRUBS. 
In a series of articles that appeared in 
our official organ, Park and Cemetery and 
Landscape Gardeninc., about a year ago, 
there was discussed the various steps of 
development and management of modern 
cemeteries. 
Tonight we shall try to illustrate the re- 
sults that would follow if the best ideas 
are carried out. We shall illustrate the value 
of trees, shrubs and plants in the orna- 
mentation of cemetery properties, especially 
their value in preparing a proper setting 
for a monument or the framing of a vista 
to some object of interest as a distant 
monument, tree, building or mountain, or 
to screen from view features that detract 
from landscape effects. What we can use 
to accomplish these results depends alto- 
gether upon the region and situation. So 
varied is the flora of the North and South, 
East, Middle West and West, that it re- 
quires considerable study and observation 
to be prepared to advise what to use in 
planting. Each problem in landscape work 
is as interesting to the lover of beauty in 
nature as a new game of chess is to an ex- 
pert at the game. 
Soil, subsoil, climate, rainfall, tempera- 
ture, native trees and plants, naturalized 
imported plants, grass for lawns, material 
for roads, water supply and drainage have 
their influence upon the design and plant- 
ing of cemetery properties. 
Planting covers a multitude of sins, and 
we can accomplish much in hiding, with 
trees and shrubs, the features that are ob- 
jectionable both within and without the 
cemetery. 
Mistakes in the design of roads, in loca- 
tion of buildings or other features, or er- 
rors in grades can be softened or screened 
by judicious planting. But this fact does 
not justify such mistakes at their incep- 
tion, on the theory that they will be cov- 
ered by planting. A coat worn for the 
sake of propriety and custom is always in 
good form, but the same coat used merely 
to cover a dirty shirt is hardly excusable. 
Perhaps no one feature in cemetery 
planning is of greater importance than the 
formation by planting of suitable back- 
grounds to monumental work, A proper 
setting for a well-designed monument is as 
important as the design of the monument 
itself. 
Throughout our land, in both new and 
old cemeteries, there are hundreds of fine 
examples of well-placed monuments and 
properly selected plants that form back- 
grounds for the individual monument and 
screen from view the mass of stonework 
beyond. Open lawn areas and border plant- 
ing add much to landscape effects. 
The open lawn in cemeteries must of 
necessity be smaller in extent than are such 
areas in parks and should be treated as in- 
dividual units. This can be accomplished 
in two ways, either by a continuous plan- 
tation of low-growing trees, evergreens, 
shrubs, or by irregular mass plantings, so 
located that the view across a burial sec- 
tion is broken or obstructed, giving here 
and there vistas where some object of in- 
terest can be made a feature of the land- 
scape. I individually prefer the irregular 
masses, so arranged that the lots along the 
drives may have proper backgrounds for 
the monuments erected thereon, leaving 
here and there open areas extending into 
or beyond the center of the burial sections. 
The best results come from planting the 
areas where monuments may be erected so 
that individual monuments will have, or 
will seem to have, a specially prepared set- 
ting. 
On the portion of the section or series 
of sections where long vistas are to be 
maintained there should be no monuments 
to detract from the view. These areas 
should be designated in color on sale plans. 
NO. 22. AN EFFECTIVE PICTURE THAT CAN BE MADE OP LOW, WET 
SITUATIONS 
