The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California

Landscape Gardening

Unity

Every yard should be a picture. That is, the area should be set off from every other area, and it should have such a character that the observer catches its entire effect and purpose without stopping to analyze its parts. The yard should be one thing, one area, with every feature contributing its part to one strong and homogeneous effect. L. H. Bailey,
Pictorial composition may be defined as the proportionate arranging and unifying of the different features and objects of a picture. . . . There must be an exercise of judgment on the part of the artist as to fitness and position, as to harmony of relation, proportion, color, light; and there must be a skilful uniting of all the parts into one perfect whole.
John C. Van Dyke.
Unity and coherence are not quite synonymous, yet the ideas are very closely related, and in any extensive composition are practically inseparable. Thus a number of objects of exactly the same sort placed together would undoubtedly secure unity without any effort for coherence; but several dissimilar objects may also be assembled in satisfying unity if, by some obvious relation or natural connection, they readily cohere.

Unity in any landscape composition means that some one idea shall prevail throughout, and that all details shall be subordinate to it. Some particular style of expression must be determined upon and consistently adhered to; and the chosen style must not be varied except within wide limits of space. Every item of the composition, then, must contribute to the perfection of the predominant style, or must be vigorously expunged, no matter what its individual excellence.

Unity is not to be realized unless the entire construction is under control of one mind, and this one direct ing mind must not only have a perfectly clear and definite conception of what the finished product is to be, but must also be attached to that ideal with such zeal that no item, however desirable by itself, shall be admitted if not in strictest harmony with the pervading spirit of the work.
Practically this means that a definite plan should be made on paper. The unrecorded ideal, even of the artist whose conceptions are clearest, is sure to change in time; and since it must always require a considerable season to compass any landscape plans, the first keynote is likely to have been lost before the end is reached, and the later additions are apt to be out of harmony with the earlier work. The plan should be drawn with good inks on durable paper; and it should be supplemented by written specifications made equally durable.