Evening star., 1926-03-13
LANDSCAPE PLANTING
For the Home Owner
BY ROSE CREELY. Landscape Architect.
l-FOrmal Garden for Small Place

l-FOrmal Garden for Small Place
a formal garden docs not neces
sarily mean Il large garden or one
stiff and formal in appearance. The
term is used for the garden laid out
on geomctrical lines. to distinguish
il from the garden of unSymmetriCal
plan which subordinatcs design TO
planting. The word formal gen
orally used because TO better word
has been found, is not always de-
Scriptivc, because the garden OF geo
metrical outline may run the range
from the ceremoniouS garden of mag
nificeht scale to the cottage garden.
simple and homcly. with no sugges-
lion of real fornlality, in spite OF the
straight lines of its beds. The gar
den which is formal not only in pan
but also in planting, with cnppcd
shrubs and stiff flowers, may be
called truly formal. Hut the same
symmetrical plan. softened and over
grown with cNuberant planting. seems
completely informal.
it is the garden of this type that
most concerns the small house own
or. It concerns him NOR" than the
garden of unSymmetrical outilhe'
which attempts to got away from
small lot he cannot ignore the arti-
ticfal lines Of tho house. The house
dominates tho grounds, and the gar
don. in order to he a successful part
Of the composition. must he suhordi-
nate. II should ho planned as an
outdoor room Of the huse.
Il, this outdoor room, as in the
rooms within the house. privacy Is
necessary. Without II one cannot
usc the garden as Il living room. Inc
walls of the garden are therefore an
important consideration. IheN serve
as n screen from the public and as
hackrrourd FOR the flower pictures.
In considering the material of when
thcv shall he made this double pur-
nose should he kept in mind. III the
carden is close TO the street hlGh
barrier is necessary. Shall II De
white Stucco wall or an evergreen
hedge. fitting backgrounds for riotouS
flower color. or shall 1t be rose
covered trellis. which in itself viii
nrovido both color and background!
Roth the character of the house ana
the type Of garden that the owner
wishes will decide the question.
The location of the garden must I've
decided by the sunny exposure . .i"I
most flowers demand. hut its position
i'm relation TO tho living room or the
houso is also important. As its pur'
nose is 10 give tho greatest amount
Of Measure to tho family. Its easy d'-
cess from the house. and tho views
of il that tho windows command, are
q vital part of its design. II the house
is nlaced on tho lot with It's llNlnS
room windows facing south ana cast
they will look out upon the sunny
spot best suited TO the garden. Some
hn room
windows is as close a contact between
living room and garden ~ the plan
Of tho house allows. II II is possible,
however establish a closer relation.
perhapS q window may be cut INTO Il
door with a terrace or por"h h'liit
on. or simply steps leading down INTO
the garden With the garden so near
nj hand. il is easy to slip out for a
few minutes enjoyment.
Wherever the important view OF
the garden is. whether from the porch
of from living room windows, II
should command the central line OF
the garden, its long axis. The treat
ment around this axis will be deter
mined by the inclinations of the
owner. He may leave the center open
in wide grass panel bordered on
each side with flowers. and terminal
ing in q lily pool. at the farther end:
or he may plan for a th!ckly planted
garden, with the central axis looking
down IA long path between beds of
larkspur and hollyhocks, to a scat
against the IncloSing hemlock hedge;
or he may feature in the center of
the garden n bird bath. "A fountain or
n pool. Whatever the treatment,
whether flowers form the whole in
terest, or whether they are assisted
by other garden features, the planting
can make or mar tho scheme.
Study the beds Of flowers. not only
in plan but in elevation. Consider not
only where they shall be planted, but
when they will bloom and how tall
they will grow. Do not bank them TOO
evenly, low. medium and tall, but
break the long line of larkspur with
= plant or two of lower phlox, lest II
become monotonouS. and accent the
low cdgiug plants with q clump of
pconies pushing 10 tho front. Study
color and line. not only in tho individ-
nal flowers bat in the mass. 50 that
the hor'l"r may have unity. and the
whole garden may he a picture as you
sec it from the windows Of the house.