Landscaping and Gardening Info

Continuing with our landscaping lessons, we get into more of the principles of art and landscaping. This first part of lesson two begins with the principle of unity.

LESSON 2

Unity

The first principle of all art is unity. This means that each work of art, large or small, must have one and only one meaning, and that every part shall contribute to this meaning. Stated in physical terms, all parts must be organized into one body, each part being completely subordinate to the interests of the whole. Every part which does not assist in this central effect must be expunged, no matter how beautiful or interesting it may be in it­self.

The extreme term in unity is monotony. When only one color, only one tone, only one figure is used the result may be monotonous. A garden planted with nothing but hollyhocks or a cemetery set exclusively with red cedars would probably be monotonous. Even so it is better to have monotony than to lose unity; and in particular cases monotony is the height of artistic achievement.

The elimination of diverse colors, and forms therefore tends toward unity, or at least toward simplicity, which is also desirable in itself. Nearly all landscape gardening shows too many forms, too many colors, too many different kinds of plants. The instances in which unity is carried too far toward monotony are so rare that they are doubly interesting as curiosities.

Unity is frequently secured through the development of utilities. If every part of a work of landscape gardening has a definite and obvious practical purpose this dominating purpose reconciles all parts and unifies the whole. In actual practice the most powerful means of securing unity lies in adopting a clear-cut motive (see below) and adhering rigidly to it.

If you follow through with these lessons in landscaping, not only will you get advice for your own home, but you will have a better appreciation for the art of landscaping. There will exercises at the end of some lessons that you may wish to accomplish to increase your understanding and knowledge. Have fun doing them if you so desire. The outcome on your own landscaping will be all the greater for doing so.