136 HOME LANDSCAPING

Proper relativity in scale is essential among plant materials and
also between them and the house and grounds. Only by the use
of plant material of small scale can an effect of spaciousness be
achieved in a small property. Mountain ash and dogwood trees,
in a small foreground area, will not overpower a small house. Oaks,
maples, or elms may be too large for a city lot. In any ejection of
the country shade trees of suitable scale can be found.

Constancy of scale is an additional problem, for some plants
grow much faster than others and upset the established relation-
ship. The eventual size of the plant should be one basis on which
it is chosen. Severe pruning or mutilation of a plant in order to
keep it in scale usually indicates poor selection, although some
plants may be pruned satisfactorily. Dwarf plants such as certain
azaleas, cotoneasters, junipers, and yews arc useful in retaining
scale. Temporary plants can be used to fill in while the permanent
plants are developing, but owners seldom remove the surplus
plants.

Texture in plants usually refers to two effects: surface qualities
that we can feel by touching, and the pattern of light and dark
which we can see. Visual texture depends upon the size, shape,
and spacing of leaves, twigs, and flowers, and the surface of the
leaves. In general, large leaves, thickly spaced, produce a coarse
texture, whereas small leaves create a fine texture.

Texture harmony is partly the result of repeating like textures.
Variety is needed, however, to hold the interest; yet too much
variety or strong contrast is unpleasant, particularly in a small
property. In the planting around a house the coarsest textures and
most solid masses should be at the corners; the sides should have
finer textures and more openness. Projecting points anywhere in
a landscape plan need coarse textures, and recessions need finer
textures for depth effect, Low, fine-textured plants are often "used
as transition elements between the lawn and tall, coarse-textured
plants. Very coarse textures are not generally suitable to small
properties unless they are needed to express an exotic or Modern
idea.

The entire-landscape plan should be interpreted in terms of tex-
ture before any plants are chosen. The ait prindple$-~balaficet
proportion, emphasis, rhythm, and transition—are valuable guides
for the distribution of the various textures*