PARK AND CEMETERY. 
271 
THE NURSERYMAN AND THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT 
I presume that you will be interested in 
hearing a few words spoken with reference 
to the relation between the nurseryman and 
the landscape architect, and how their re- 
lations may be so shaped as to create the 
greatest good fellowship and mutual profit. 
Just here I wish to impress upon you 
that while we are both in the business for 
good business reasons, we must not over- 
look the fact that we are particularly con- 
cerned in the improvement of the looks of 
things in this world, and as we have this 
responsibility resting on us, we should use 
the opportunity to carry on this work of 
improvement in the best possible and most 
efficient manner. We will really be doing 
a good work and adding to the attractive- 
ness of the places in which we live, as well 
as increasing the pleasures of our fellow- 
men by so doing. Th^n we have at least 
done a laudable work whether or not we 
manage to get rich at it. 
I have heard it mentioned several times 
that there exists a flavor of antagonism 
between some nurserymen and landscape 
architects, and I have endeavored to find 
out the reason for this feeling, if it really 
exists, and a way in which this antagonism 
ruay be overcome. 
I think that I am fairly well qualified to 
express an opinion on the subject as I have 
been engaged in both occupations for a 
good number of years ; first I was in the 
nursery business with the P. J. Berckman’s 
Company for about ten years, later took 
up the practice of landscape architecture 
for them and myself, and still retain an 
active interest in nursery work. 
During the course of this experience, I 
have come in contact with a great number 
of nurserymen and landscape architects and 
am quite familiar with their different meth- 
ods of doing business with each other and 
their clients. 
Now I cannot see why the relationship 
existing between the nurseryman and land- 
scape architect should be other than strong 
and friendly and more close than it has 
been, redounding to the mutual benefit of 
all parties concerned. I believe that with 
a little better understanding and regulating 
of business transactions that such will come 
to pass. 
The landscape architect has probably put 
himself in a bad light with the nurseryman 
by presuming that all nurserymen are gen- 
erally unacquainted with the principles of 
landscape design, and know plants only for 
their individual commercial beauty and 
worth, also by their insistence that the 
nurseryman shall sell his products to their 
client's at dealer’s wholesale prices. 
On the other hand, the nurseryman has, 
in some instances, antagonized the land- 
scape architect by insinuating to the latter’s 
client that there is nothing to the work of 
Address by William Harry Kessler before 
the Southern Nurserymen’s Association. 
the landscape architect that cannot be un- 
dertaken by any good horticulturist. While 
the landscape architect may know how to 
draw interesting pictures, he certainly does 
not know all he ought to about plants, 
where the}- will grow, etc., etc. 
The nature of the two occupations, that 
of the landscape architect and that of the 
nursersman, are so different in their chief 
aims that it is very difficult for a nursery- 
man to become a landscape designer, and 
vice versa. I say this advisedly, for I have 
had the experience of metamorphosing 
from one to the other and know just how 
long and how difficult it was for me to lose 
the viewpoint of the nurseryman. 
The difference of viewpoint is this — the 
nurseryman is always striving to produce, 
originate and sell plants of exceptional 
novelty, peculiar individual e.xcellence and 
perfection of form and growth. He there- 
fore puts comparatively little worth in un- 
cultivated, unimpro^■ed natural varieties 
and forms. He is always concentrating his 
attention on the individual plant and wishes 
to display it to its best advantage in its 
highest type of cultivation. 
This aim is so thoroughly inculcated 
throughout his experience as a nurseryman 
that it becomes a steadfast habit with him ; 
whenever he arranges plants in public and 
private grounds it so influences his work 
that the result is generally the opposite of 
that which is striven for by the landscape 
architect, when he is attempting to produce 
a naturalistic planting. The difference be- 
ing that the whole planting arrangement, 
its scale and mass, is seriously affected by 
the tendency to lose sight of the harmony 
of form, texture and color of the mass by 
the desire to display the particular ex- 
cellence of individual specimens. 
Then again he is apt to place specimens 
on exhibition when there is little reason for 
them being included in the design, for it 
should be understood that the successful 
planting arrangement is that which contains 
trees, shrubs and plants; that when plant- 
ing cither as individual specimens or in 
group formation, serve some definite object 
in the composition — that is, modify a harsh 
angle in the building, prevent a too rapid 
transition from house foundation to lawn 
surface, screen from view some objection- 
able feature, frame a good vista, create a 
shade accent or form a suitable back- 
ground, or some other definite artistic pur- 
pose. 
As some of you may not know just how 
a landscape architect works, and might be 
led to a better understanding by a short 
outlining of his methods, I will attempt to 
flescribe in a concise way the rc(|uircments 
of the work, h'irst, after consulting with 
the [)roperty owner, on the ground, he 
makes a to()ographical survey and map of 
the property to be improved, showing by 
this map the location of existing features, 
such as trees, bounding streets, buildings, 
bodies of water, etc., and the contour of 
ground surfaces, and such e.xisting sur- 
rounding features as may influence the de- 
sign. 
Then based on his study of the property 
and data shown on the map, he must lo- 
cate proposed buildings, consult with the 
architect as to the orientation of the floor 
plan, fix the entrances, establish elevations 
for floors, so that the building will not 
only fit the site but will be approached in 
the best manner, so that its arrangement 
with other buildings and landscape fea- 
tures will be to the best advantage, eco- 
nomically and for the l)est effect. 
In definitely locating the building he 
uses the topographic map for the purpose 
of determining the height of floors, the 
problems of approach and drainage, the 
establishing of scale between building, 
lawn and garden areas, etc., for it should 
be known that unless the different features 
of the scheme are in scale with each other 
the result will not be a satisfactory one. 
After a preliminary plan of general ar- 
rangement is made, sections are projected 
from the contour or topographic map 
showing the conformation of the natural 
ground through important axis, or else- 
where, which enable him to la}- out an im- 
proved section, or profile for ground con- 
formation on that line, a section is taken 
of the center line of driveways, walks and 
roads, and a proposed grade is laid on this 
profile, thus enabling him to definitely fit 
the grade of ground surfaces, driveways, 
walks, lawn and garden areas and design 
drainage systems to fit existing conditions. 
Also enabling him to calculate quantities of 
earth work in cubic yards and form an es- 
timate of the cost of the work. 
The general plan of arrangement also 
shows the arrangement of iilantings, giv- 
ing the scale and formation of the planting 
masses. After this plan is definitcl_v adopt- 
ed the varieties are specified by placing 
corresponding key numbers on plans and 
planting specifications, showing the quan- 
tities, varieties and description of the 
planting materials, and an estimate of the 
cost of the work is made, so that the owner 
or client may have a reasonably accurate 
idea of the cost of all the work of grading, 
clearing and grubbing, road and walk 
building, drainage system, lawn making 
and planting. 
In the development of parks, institutional 
or other public grounds, the method of 
procedure is similar, and the landscape ar- 
chitect must be familiar with the require- 
ments of each kind of property and ade- 
quately plan for the usage to which it will 
be put. 
