The fascination of texture

Press, 19 June 1979, Page 12

The fascination of texture

LANDSCAPING AT HOME

■By ■

Gilbert Brakey

Our gardens are full of tn-.ny and varied textures boJi tactile (a textured piaem under a smooth surface as with dressed timber) or actual (when the texture can actually be fe’.t as vwth bricks or tyrolene plastered concrete Every surface texture affects us physically and aesthetically.

We all react differently t< the feel of texture and to the way in which the light shines on the surface of an object. This factor can be used deliberately in

order to create certain feelings within a garden spac ■-

Texture in the garden can range from vigour of roof tiles to the elusive glass iness of water in a tranquil pool, to the infinite variety of surfaces *ound i- plants. Texture affects us physically in all that we touch. A coarse, harsh surface can be irritating; a shiny, smooth surface can feel slippery and cold. We generally prefer a point somewhere between the two extremes.

Texture affects the way in which light is reflected, subsequently affecting the appearance of any form.

A very smooth object will reflect light brilliantly, attracting attention and making their pirt’cis!*' colours ’nok clear and strong. Particular!- rm :-h surfaces, how-

ever, set up a vigorous pattern of light and dark

The materials in between, like a brick surface, tend to absorb the light evenlv making colours appear less bright and aomewhat darker Texture will also have an a'fect on future maintenance. smooth, dressed timber deck requires more staining and sweeping to keep clean

.han will a ro »,h-sawn timber deck.

The rough texture will call little attention to dust and dirt, whereas the smooth-textured surface will quickly show every footprint. The only trouble '-. ’ rough-textured surface is more difficult to clean. With planting, the textural effect is often overlooked or considered unimportant: in fact, it

provides another opportunity to bring variety and interest into our garden design. Plant texture is the relationship between foliage, twig size and the remainder of the plant. This will also depend on the distance at which the plant cr plants are viewed. When you are standing close to a plant the texture comes from the size, surface and spacing of leaves and twigs at different times of the year. From a distance, texture is the entire mass effect of plants and the quality

of light and shadow produced.

A plant’s texture is producer by how coarse or fine, heavy or light, rough or smooth, open or dense that a particular plant n.ay be. Remember, too, that plants will seem larger when close to you and smaller when viewed from a distance; and from a long distance can appear to merge as one. Leaves which have a glossy surface on one side with a white underside appear to have a finer texture than many other large-leaved plants because of the effect of light and shadow. When leaves are able to move freely in the wind — because, for example, they are attached to the plant by long petioles or stems, the motion will result in a greater play of light and shadow producing a finer-textured effect. A plant with small leaves and short petioles has the appearance of strength and corseness because of less activity and movement in the wind.

Densely foliaged plants will appear to be visually stronger than an open or sparsely foliaged plant. Shadows cast by a plant will change throughout the year and from hour to

hour. Finely textured plants cast a weak shadow whereas dense plants have the opposite effect, all because of the amount of light which is permitted to filter through the plant. Too many similar textures together will appear monotonous so ensure some controlled variety to obtain contrast and to accentuate the play of light and shadow. The use of to many coarse textures in a small confined space — for example, a courtyard, will appear harsh and make the space seem far smaller than it actually is. In the average-sized garden it is probably best to keep texture changes simple and gradual, and to use contrasts sparingly. Your plantings will then allow the viewer’s eye to flow smoothly from one texture to the next without catching discordance and being subjected to an inner feeling of annoyance that something is not quite right. By careful selection of plants and construction materials with a suitable texture, a completely new dimension can be added to any garden; and this will help to make the garden pleasantly different from its neighbours.