PART II. Improvements Closely Associated With Maintenance; the Making of

IMPROVEMENTS CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH MAINTENANCE; THE MAKING OF EXISTING FEATURES BETTER OF THEIR KIND

As previously indicated, no sharp line can be drawn between maintenance of the sort which ensures progressive improvement (as a result of the controlled growth of long-lived plants and associations of plants), and, on the other hand, improvements of detail which are not strictly maintenance but which, although not very notable individually, are important because of their collective and cumulative effect.

There are many opportunities for this sort of improvement of detail in the Botanical Garden, as would be almost inevitable where past improvements and maintenance have been carried on under the handicap of insufficient funds, and with the recurring temptation to undertake an improvement under circumstances adverse to the best results.

Merely as examples we will mention a few such opportunities which have thrust themselves upon us as important. The making of such improvements is so bound up with improved maintenance that while the cost of them might properly be met either out of increased maintenance funds or out of special improvement funds, the work should be done mainly by the maintenance personnel.

1. Fruticetum. What might be called the general scenic quality of the areas devoted to the systematic collection of shrubs could be greatly improved, together with its instructiveness as to the esthetic value of many species as elements in landscape composition, by a patient, laborious and discriminating study of the entire collection, acre by acre and plant by plant, followed by a great deal of minor shifting of the position of individual plants, by the elimination of some and by the addition of others, so as to make more agreeable and interesting compositions--all without in the least impairing the prime function of the Fruticetum as a systematic collection of specimens of representative shrubby plants. From the esthetic point of view this job would be very much like the job of a sculptor in perfecting a model in clay; sometimes pressing back here and building out there without addition or subtraction of material, sometimes adding a little, sometimes taking away a little. The details can no more be embodied in a specification or a plan than can the touches of the sculptor which determine the final quality of his work. But because the Fruticetum is not solely or even primarily intended as a work of fine art, but primarily as a living botanical museum, whoever is charged with the artistic responsibility for such an improvement would have to keep the Director-in-Chief closely informed of his intentions in advance and work under his supervision and with his continuing approval as to the effect of the changes on the value of the collection from the botanical standpoint.

2. Herbaceous Grounds. There is opportunity for similar improvement, probably far less general and far less notable in its effect, in the area devoted to the synoptic collection of herbaceous plants, known as the Herbaceous Garden. Incidentally it has occurred to us that the name “Herbaceous Grounds,” which is applied at Kew to an area having similar purposes, would be better than “Herbaceous Garden;” because the latter is so apt to suggest to visitors the idea of a garden of herbaceous flowering plants selected and arranged primarily for esthetic effects, as so-called “herbaceous borders” ordinarily are, and to cause some disappointment on finding quite a different sort of thing.

We do not want to imply that the area devoted to this collection is not now esthetically agreeable. It is among the pleasantest of the sophisticated features of the Botanical Garden grounds. But without changing its function as a synoptic collection of herbaceous plants, which necessarily contains many specimens selected and assigned to certain localities for reasons quite other than esthetic, we believe that the existing pleasant landscape qualities of the scene could be appreciably heightened and refined by minor adjustments in the positions of the plants and outlines of beds and by the addition of certain “background” and “filler” plants not part of the exhibit proper, but serving functions not unlike those of frames and cases and backgrounds and partitions in an indoor museum.

3. Border Plantations. The strengthening, extension and refinement of screening and background plantations on the borders of the Garden land is a very important matter for the sake of future effect, because the outlooks into the surrounding city are generally most inharmonious, distracting and unpleasant, and it takes a long time to grow trees large enough to screen them.

4. Cherry Garden. The area devoted to Japanese flowering cherries, which is interesting in topography, contains good specimens and has an attractive memorial shelter, Japanese in spirit, could be made very much more lovely by carefully studied shifting of some of the specimens so as to secure better artistic composition, taking better advantage of the topography, by the addition of appropriate subordinate elements for enrichment, and by readjustment of the paths so as to lead people conveniently and easily to just the right points of view and at the same time fit into place as appropriate parts of the scene. It could be made, and ought to be made, a notably exquisite piece of landscape.

5. Means of circulation as related to the improvement of existing plantations. The mention of paths in connection with the Cherry Garden brings us to a very perplexing and very important matter. In a botanical garden resorted to by great numbers of people, it is a fact, as frequently pointed out by the Director-in-Chief, that an adequate and convenient path system is very important for handling the crowds without destruction of the more essential element--which is the vegetation. It is also important that it should lead the people conveniently, agreeably, and without a sense either of confusion, or unpleasant compulsion, or of disappointment, through those places where they can best see and enjoy what is prepared for their benefit. It is a further fact that the topography of the Garden is in parts so intricate and peculiar as to have made the design and construction of such a system of circulation, in a thoroughly satisfactory way, extremely difficult, especially under the conditions of piecemeal construction with funds available in limited amounts from time to time. In places the existing path system is excellent. But in other places, in face of these topographical difficulties, it seems to us extremely unsatisfactory, confusing, arduous and uninviting to follow, failing to lead to the best points of view and neither conforming pleasantly to the natural topography nor accompanied by a bold and skilful modification of the topography so as to conform to the exigencies of proper circulation.

We believe, therefore, that there should be a very careful and thorough study of the whole system of circulation, existing and prospective, with a view to determining, first, all those areas in the Garden within which the existing means of circulation can reasonably be regarded as permanently satisfactory, so that improvements and refinements to the plantations can there be undertaken without danger that things will have to be seriously upset by subsequent changes in or additions to the path and road system. This will clear the way for perfecting the landscape beauty of those areas by refinements in the vegetation to the utmost degree that the available means and skill will permit. Concentration on that sort of improvement will make more showing, esthetically, per dollar expended than where costly structural changes are needed, and for that reason should probably receive preference in the earlier part of the program of improvement.

But in preparation for a second step in the program of improving the existing features, those areas within which the existing means of circulation can not be regarded as permanently satisfactory should be studied in detail, section by section, and detailed plans prepared for successive sections to determine the precise locations and grades of the permanent paths and roads; the sometimes radical changes in grading required in connection therewith; and at least the general nature of the treatment of vegetation contemplated. This will show what improvements in detail of vegetation within these areas can safely be undertaken pending the expected changes in paths, etc., and open the way for undertaking these improvements without serious risk of waste.

And then, as a third step in the program, the more costly structural changes can themselves be undertaken, section by section, accompanied by perfecting the vegetation in direct connection therewith.

Throughout this program of improvement of existing features, the paths and roads and grading should be considered solely as a necessary means to the end of developing and maintaining in the most beautiful manner possible, those features of scientific and horticultural and landscape interest for the sake of which the Botanical Garden exists, and of making them conveniently and pleasurably accessible to the public without their destruction by public use; while at the same time recognizing that this mechanism of good circulation for crowds is a necessary means to such an end and in some cases can be properly provided for on such topography only by radical surgical operations the scars of which must be made and healed before the final esthetic and scientific end can be attained.

For example: in a number of places important lines of path circulation are needed running transversely to sharp ridges and hollows. This is a very difficult situation, in which a half-hearted compromise may be easy but is most deplorable. Every effort should be made to find a satisfactory way of really solving the problem without violence to the natural topography, as by seeking a more circuitous route which will not seem disagreeably indirect and which will fully accomplish the purposes that need to be served. But where this can not be satisfactorily done--and there are places where it can not--a bold course, which pierces through a rocky ridge in a narrow ravine-like passage artificially made but not unnatural in appearance, or even by a short tunnel, or which spans a narrow ravine on an arched bridge at the level of the flanking ridges, may not merely produce a more convenient path system and one which leaves its users free to appreciate what they see instead of focussing their attention on the inconvenience and discomfort of the path, but it may also make nine-tenths of the path fit naturally and pleasantly to the surface of the ground it traverses instead of its all looking somewhat forced and unnatural as it climbs and drops over ground obviously uninviting for a main path. Again, in view of the necessity, in so large an area, of permanent means of circulation for automobiles, and of the increasing danger and annoyance of innumerable crossings of this traffic by crowds of people on foot, it is important to provide for the ultimate separation of the grades of main paths and main automobile roads where crossings are inevitable, much as was done in Central Park at a time when the danger and annoyance of such crossings were infinitely less than in these days of motor traffic.

All this sort of thing is of very great ultimate importance, can not sensibly be ignored and should be planned for, in a courageous, far-sighted, uncompromising way. But, as previously pointed out, this does not mean that the construction of a first-rate system of circulation should take precedence over refining and perfecting details of planting and planting maintenance. Preference should be given, in this improvement of the vegetation, to areas the least likely to be upset by such construction. On the other hand, in areas that are likely to be upset by such construction, improvements in the vegetation should be undertaken only when the desirable changes in the paths and roads seem, because of lack of funds, unlikely to be made for so long a time that the value of the temporary improvement in the vegetation would, in the meantime, justify the money and effort expended on it.

6. Qualities generally to be sought in improving the vegetation through better maintenance. The esthetic qualities to be sought and developed in the care of the vegetation must of course vary widely. Anything approaching a stereotyped effect, which one seeing elsewhere would at once recognize as the “Botanic Garden style” is to be avoided at almost any cost. But some qualities are desirable nearly everywhere, qualities now too often lacking. The plants should look well-nourished and vigorous. No pains should be spared, of the kind a good plantsman best knows how to give, in building up the fertility of the soil in those respects necessary for the healthy typical growth of each kind of vegetation in its place, in adjusting different kinds of plants to the places most favorable for their healthy continued growth, and in fighting their enemies. One of the agents destructive to this quality is the public; in its careless or wanton injury of plants by trampling, breaking and deliberate picking. Both constant watchfulness by a sufficient number of maintenance men and the promptest possible restoration of injuries when they occur are essential to keeping up a good standard in this quality. Nothing encourages depredations so much as the evidence of previous depredations supinely accepted.

Hence there is no question but that the Garden should be so planned as to be closed at night and that there should be uniformed guards on duty when it is open; not merely a few City Police temporarily assigned to duty here, but special Botanical Garden Guards forming part of the Garden’s maintenance force, carefully selected and trained for the double purpose, first, of guiding and assisting the public to get the greatest legitimate benefit out of what the Garden has to offer, and, second, of preventing those individually trifling abuses of the Garden which in cumulative effect tend so greatly to make it shabby.

An important quality, hard to describe in positive terms, is one which is the reverse of “weediness.” It is not necessarily “tidiness.” That may be highly appropriate in some sophisticated places: on clipped lawns, among garden beds of a frankly artificial man-made sort, on paths and roads and picnic grounds; but for most of the Botanical Garden, where a natural-seeming aspect should be sedulously sought, the word “tidiness” suggests a smug and artificial quality quite too sophisticated. Yet weediness with its connotation of neglect, ought everywhere to be avoided; and there is a good deal of it today. It comes from the presence of plants--whether classed in common parlance as “weeds” or not--which look out of place in their surroundings; often plants much coarser of texture or ranker in growth than their neighbors, and always suggestive of encroachment on something that would be pleasanter without them. Millions of volunteer seedlings spring up every year and many of them, if not systematically repressed, are able to survive in places where they look distinctly weedy.

The avoidance of shabbiness and weediness is the negative aspect of the problem. The positive aspect, in addition to securing healthy vigorous growth of all vegetation that is not to be suppressed as weedy, lies in the progressive, appropriate enrichment not merely of the regular “collections” but of the incidental or background flora.

The latter may in some places involve the introduction of more kinds of plants, especially of the more delicate native flowering plants, but is perhaps more likely to mean simply the multiplication in certain places of a limited number of species peculiarly and charmingly characteristic of distinctive types of flora, at the expense of those species which are less characteristic.