This is the 7th in a series about how to create a garden that is a unified work of art. This article is almost a continuation of my article on form. In my article on form I stressed that when using form to unify a garden, it is best to not focus on individual plants, but I have to admit that it is the growth patterns of individual plants which create the forms that most gardens are composed out of, so this article is about the shapes of plants and how they can be used to create a garden that is a unified work of art.
Trees are the tallest elements in most gardens, so they are the dominant element.
The shape of a tree against the sky can set the mood for an entire garden. As the trees mature, their influence over the garden becomes stronger and stronger, so it is best to think about the mature shape of trees before planting them. During the 18th century many Cedars of Lebanon were planted on English estates. These trees, with their strongly horizontal or tabulate branching pattern are now unifying features in the gardens that have developed around them. The distinctive form of the cedars is easy to recognize from every part of the garden, so even though each room in the garden may have it s own theme, they all feel like they are part of one garden.