Color, as used in ornamental planting, enables one to produce many varied, beautiful, and artistic effects, not only by appropriating aerial perspective, but by opening a study in the habits and changing colors of trees that hitherto has not attracted much attention. The tree that with the opening spring comes out with a fresh yellow-green, will, through the changes of summer and autumn, exhibit many tones of color, and, finally, the dying leaf will assume the brilliant and gorgeous hue so peculiar to our autumnal climate. To plant a vista, or group, so combined with various species of trees, that, with each changing season, or week, or day, the harmony of color shall still be preserved, and their crimson glories be in unison with and fade off to the slightly-varying colors of the evergreens, requires a refined and cultivated taste to arrange and to appreciate.

Those deciduous trees, whose autumnal beauties are so much admired, are foreground trees when in the glory of their summer verdure. Their greens are rich, warm, and beautiful, and their fading tints of brilliant colors are still more of that warm and positive character; yet among autumnal tints there are some that are cooler than others, and should be planted in the distance. Very beautiful effects might be produced by planting groups both for the summer effect of rich verdure and the autumnal blending of gorgeous colors.

In planting vistas where we propose to make use of the effects of aerial perspective we must consider that a wide difference exists between a lighter color and a cooler color. Very many writers on this subject do not take this into consideration, but state that perspective vistas should run off into lighter colors, when the fact is, that middle and distant tones should be negative, not the warm yellow-greens of some of the lighter-colored trees.

Among the various ornamental trees selections can be made of colors that shade towards the blue, purple, or grey, for planting distant tints. We can not, however, always get the precise tint desired: it is easier to mix up a tint on our palette than to find it growing ready for our use. Nor is it possible to reach that degree of art which shall be beyond criticism; but we can execute that which will be appreciated, and is strikingly beautiful. Ornamental planting, considered artistically, differs much from every other application of art; unlike landscape painting in not being executed on a flat surface, with color and effects completely under control, resembling mosaic work in the selection of color in real objects, and yet embracing both natural and artificial perspective and atmospheric effects, dealing with real objects in color, form, light, shadow, relief, etc., and compelling nature, by the use of her own materials and suggestions, to complete her beautiful designs. A knowledge of art in one instance is knowledge for all applications of art; and the pencil, palette, and brush lead the way to educate the mind, the eye, and the hand, in all the leading principles of the arts of design and construction.

Many of the old writers on Landscape Gardening maintain, that planting with one variety of trees will produce the grandest effects. It is not true, however, in the bold teachings of nature; there we see a never-ceasing display of all varieties of color, form, species, etc., harmoniously blended. Harmony in landscape adornment will not admit of any ignorance of the combination, gradation, and blending of colors any more than it will admit of ignorance of form or habit of trees. Contrasts we prefer to create by light, shadow, and relief, more than by the violent opposition of color or form. All the requirements of art in an artist's hands can be made to produce that which is the most beautiful and most in accordance with the principles of good taste; the same requisites in other hands may be used as vile illustrations to prove the falsity of art. The colors on the palette are the same to all; but he who combines them, gradates, and harmoniously arranges them, has no inferior skill or ability, while the same colors, ignorantly or unskilfully applied, yield nothing but disappointment.

The use of color in plantations extends the field of variety, and, carefully studied in all its many applications, it will suggest new uses in concealing defects, revealing attractive points, or giving a new expression to landscape scenery.

"He gains all points who pleasingly confounds, Surprises, varies, and conceals the bounds; Calls in the country, catches opening glades, Joins willing woods, and varies shades from shades; Now breaks, or now directs the intending lines; Paints as you plant, and, as you work, designs." - PopE