Texture

Accent through contrast in foliages is not the only valuable attribute of texture. It is related to scale, for texture is ere ated by the relative size of foliage units and the way the foli age is displayed or hung on the plant. The finely divided foli age of the willow and thalictrum, the trembling aspen that constantly moves in the breeze, and holly leaves that reflect light give movement, sparkle, and gaiety to the garden scene.

To quote Louise Beebe Wilder, "There is a class of plants too light in build and too fugitive to be of great value in our color arrangements; they are the butterflies of the flower world, careless, gay, full of whimsical charm; and without their flut tering life the garden would be bereft indeed. There is room for many of these flowers of grace in even small gardens, for they will occupy little space and they will, if allowed a bit of freedom in the matter of their bestowal, redeem the garden from the stiffness which is apt to be the result of our heavier touch. It is their special mission to add a touch of laughter to the scene; to lift our thoughts from the gravity of gardening to the witchery of the garden."

Among such plants are the various poppies, flax, thalic trum, valerian, gypsophila, and columbine-all plants with fine textures or with leaves or blossoms so carried as to create a feeling of lightness, of movement, and as Mrs. Wilder said, of grace.

Mass

Mass is fairly easy to achieve in the garden, if you think in terms of plant groups instead of in terms of individuals. Specimen planting, with emphasis on perfection of development and placement of a single plant, tends to make a garden episodic. This destroys unity and impairs coherence, making it impossible to understand a garden easily. A garden that is episodic is restless instead of calm and quiet.

Plant material used in broad masses gives a sense of peace. The lines of plants flowing into one another draw a composi tion together and carry the eye easily from one part of the garden to another. Mass is also essential to good enclosure, and an obvious means of securing balance. A small garden can rarely present more than one idea at a time, and small groups need to be closely related so as to blend. A pleasing composition presents a mass effect rather than a collection of separate ideas.