Morris tribune., 1897-07-21
COMMON PLANTS.
Their Value Depends on the Use We Make
of Them.

Their Value Depends on the Use We Make
of Them.
In these days, when so many men
of business, professional men and
artisans are taking close interest
in the products of the earth under
their own immediate supervision,
anything relating to the raising Of
plants is regarded as an essential
element of education. It is true that
the general knowledge of horticul-
ture is much more extensive than,
say, 20 years ago, but the utterances
of an expert are none the less valu-
able on that account. Therefore the
discussion of Common Plants in
Garden and Forest tells us many
things that we did not know, or,
knowing, showed US that we might
with advantage receive more infor
nation. The article on Common
Plants says that different plants
have different values to planters &C.
cording to the use that. is made of
them. Landscape gardening wher-
ever it is practiced over areas Of
considerable extent deals properly
with scenery-that is, with the per
manent features of the land-its roll
of surface, it's sky line and distance.
The greatest artist in landscape is
one who with these fundamental ele-
ments and the common trees and
shrubs and grass makes picture
which is unit, and every portion
Of which helps consistently to give
expression to central idea. This
differs entirely from what is called
decorative gardening, which is con-
cerned more especially with the de-
tailed ornamentation Of more limit
ed spaces
For decorative purposes plants and
flowers may be grouped into ar
rangements which kindle admira-
ton on account of their symmetry
of form and richness of color. This
is the presentation of beauty for its
own sake. It appeals to the aesthetic
sense alone and not to the magma
ton, and through it to our higher
nature as landscape picture does.
It is not necessary that decorative
group should be in any sense nat
ural, and plants with foliage of
strong color or those that can be
trained into peculiar shapes or which
have an unusual habit are often the
most valuable in such places. They
are useful just as stones of different |
form and color are useful in a mo-
sale. In decorative gardening a
plant of golden elder or of Prunus
may have the highest value,
while the same plant in a natural
landscape would be worse than use
less and, indeed. might ruin a quiet !
picture by its obtrusiveness.
There is another kind of garden
ing, however, which has been called
specimen gardening, and which has
many attractions to genuine lovers
Of plants. To such persons a garden
exists for it's plants rather than the
plants for the garden. It is not
landscape picture that is desired,
nor yet geometrical designs of pleas
ng form and color 1t is individual
plants that are cherished irrespee-
i've of their arrangement, and they
may be selected for their rarity or
heir oddity or for any other quality
hat appeals to the fancy of the
planter. This makes pleasant di-
but it is by no means the
highest form of gardening. A wise
observer once said that it marked
distinct decline in garden art when
gentleman led you to a point on
lis estate where he could show you
he finest cryptomeria in England
instead of conducting you to the
Joint where you might see the most
II IL. 4G,,1 x,.orr, q s.