140 HOME LANDSCAPING

Flowers. In a landscape composition flowers provide the color
accents. Their selection and placing constitute a problem in
esthetics. A mere collection of miscellaneous flowers is not a
work of art any more than a box of paints is. Flowers comprise a
medium from which garden pictures can be made against suitable
backgrounds. Certain flowers arc selected from the enormous
number of possibilities, but many beautiful ones must be excluded.

Expressiveness, texture, form, scale, and color arc important
factors in the selection and use of flowers. All the art principles
also apply to this problem. Flowers should be well distributed and
well balanced in the landscaping. Emphasis is established at those
places where the flowers are concentrated.

The location of flowers in the landscape pattern is carefully
designed. Flower beds are no longer scattered here and there over
a property. Flowers are arranged in borders that follow the lines
of the lot or house or they are placed in definite flower gardens.
The term flower garden usually refers to a formal or informal area
devoted entirely to flowers. It should be enclosed by a fence,
hedge, or foliage wall which unifies it and gives the flowers a
background. Formal flower gardens usually have a center of in-
terest and a symmetrical arrangement of walks* Informal flower
gardens have irregularities and surprises that excite interest. Some
flower gardens are successfully restricted to a definite idea or theme,
such as a spring bulb garden, a cactus and succulent garden, a
white garden, or a gray foliage garden.

The plants in flower borders and beds should be carefully se-
lected for height. A low perennial plant is usually desirable at
the front edge of a flower border. In general, the tallest plants
are at the back, but in some places they may extend to the front
of the bed, suggesting alcoves. Other points to observe in plant-
ing are that diagonal drifts or somewhat triangular clumps of
flowers are much more interesting than straight rows parallel to
the edges. Bulbs should be planted in groups, not singly.

Some flowers should be located very near to the house so that
they can be enjoyed from the interior. If a paved terrace ad-
joins the wall of the house, space may be left for flowers between
them. Potted flowers should be freely used near the house; they
can be kept out of sight except when in bloom. See tihe potte<?
petunias on page 147.