Landscape Plant Guide
The phase of home landscaping described here, the planting done near to the house foundation, is
of great importance because it may make or break the appearance of the home as it is seen from the street. Yet, it
is often done with little understanding of the problems involved; disappointing results are all too common.
The landscape plant guide is for the amateur who is going to do his own designing and his own work. Emphasis is
given to plantings that will be in keeping `with a variety of one-story to two-story houses.
There will always be differences of opinion as to the kinds of plants to be used. Some prefer narrow-leaved
evergreens, some want flowering shrubs, and still others use a combination of the two. Narrow-leaved evergreens
will provide green color through the year with some variation in the different varieties. Flowering shrubs will
have bare stems in winter, some of which are very colorful, but will give an informal effect, as well as life and
color to the planting during the summer. Broad-leaved evergreens, where they may be grown successfully, will be
green throughout the year and give some flower color in spring. With these facts in mind each home owner should use
the plants of his choice.
The best appearance of any particular house when the plantings are mature is subject to individual differences
of opinion; what one person likes another disapproves. Some persons feel that few plants, if any, should be
placed near the house. There is merit to this idea, particularly if the house is architecturally well designed and
is in a setting of spacious tree-shaded lawns or if the house has large wall areas of glass. Other persons hold
the view that many shrubs are needed, particularly around a house not well designed, which may need masses of
plants to screen the imperfections. In any case, a landscape plant guide will help for most situations, and a
compromise between the two extremes may be best.
Pit the Planting to Style of House. Probably there is better reason for more planting around the base of a house
having a high foundation wall exposed above the soil line than there is around a house with low foundation walls. A
large-growing shade tree placed 15 to 20 feet from the corner of a house minimizes rather effectively the high
appearance of a house that is narrow and upright. Plants with a horizontal branching habit help, as do
structural devices such as window boxes, window blinds, and two-tone painting. Horizontal lines reduce the apparent
height, while narrow, upright plant forms increase the visual height. Regardless of the kinds of plants to be
selected, they should all be chosen and planted in positions where they will not be too large for the area when
they mature.
Landscape plant guide
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