76 
HENDERSON’S 
PICTURESQUE GARDENS 
SUBTROPICAL GARDENS AND 
EFFECTS 
The adornment of lawns, gardens and grounds 
largely depends upon two factors — color and 
form. The effect of color alone, even though 
arranged into most glowing beds and artistic 
designs, leaves an impression of something 
lacking, the need of a counterpoise ; the lacking 
element is variety of form, to relieve monotony 
and flatness and. supply enhancing contrasts. 
Diversified surface -form as well as the marginal 
contour of gardens, etc., is usually attained with 
trees and shrubbery, but there is a growing 
taste for additional bold picturesque effects — 
something suggestive of the stately grandeur of 
luxuriant tropical vegetation. 
This taste has led to the introduction into 
gardens of large-leaved so-called " subtropical” 
foliage plants, the characteristics of which, no- 
bility of form and habit, luxuriant growth, and 
exuberant and graceful leafage, render them of 
high decorative value, either grown as specimens 
or boldly grouped. When there is a choice of 
location for the large-leaved tropical plants, con- 
sideration should be given to their shelter from 
strong winds, which might, on some stormy day, 
disfigure the leaves. The kinds grown for flow- 
ers require, of course, a sunny position, but of 
the varieties grown for their foliage, many have 
an enhanced picturesque effect when placed 
where the flickering lights and shadows from a 
background of trees can play on them. Fine 
specimens may be grown individually either in 
the ground or in tubs, when they will add artistic 
variety, but the charm of informal grouping 
should be the most conspicuous. Most impos- 
ing effects are also produced by massing the 
subjects toward the marginal or background, 
thus adding to the breadth of the scene. 
ARAL! A PAPYRIFERA 
