Choice evergreens will not thrive in a windy spot no matter how you coddle them. Some plants are just barely hardy; they must have winter protection in cold regions if they are to survive. Plants in a clay soil which holds too much water (especially in winter) will suffer root rot unless the soil is drained. Or, use plants which suit the soil. In many regions, the south side of a house is a sun trap in winter when the temperature can rise over 60 degrees during the day only to drop to below zero at night.

The hardiest of plants can be injured under these conditions. Lilacs, roses, peonies and many flowering trees fail to bloom in shade. Fruits and vegetables need full sunshine, too. On the other hand, azaleas, daffodils, primroses, many ferns, begonias, and the like, definitely prefer some shade.

Slopes exposed to the sun require plants which will take these conditions; the wrong plants will wash out and the soil with them. Large, fast-growing trees on the front lawn discourage grass and take up too much room. Dusty in dry weather, the ground becomes muddy when wet. In either case, children and pets carry the dirt into the house.

Intelligent landscaping entails the use of plants for all these situations, which will solve all these problems, plants which will hold slopes, covers to keep the ground clean, trees which will not kill the grass, and plants for sun, shade, dry and wet soils. To fit these plants into their proper places, as well as to get the right effect, you need a plan. But a plan will do more. It will cut the cost of landscaping, result in a better arrangement of space and, above all, it will reduce the labor of maintenance. The latter fact alone will far outweigh the time spent in planning. In all successful landscaping the plan must come before the planting.

Your house was planned or it couldn't have been built. It was planned for rest, relaxation, livability. Plan your garden for livability, too. You probably never thought of that. But this is the simplest way to plan a garden. In planning for livability, the house becomes the central part of the scheme and the garden becomes an outward extension of the interior of the house, just as if you step from one living room into another. The porch or terrace becomes the connecting link between the house and garden. Then, just as in the house, the different parts of the garden are arranged for ease and convenience. The inclusion of a garden fountain can also provide a focal point.

True, the space is larger; it is exposed to the elements and the seasonal changes. But it is due to these that a garden has changing beauty and interest throughout the year. You do the planning and planting. Nature does the changing.

The materials, too, are different. Tables and chairs don't grow or move. That's what most people forget. The cute little 2 ft. plants you buy at the nursery will not stay at 2 ft. They'll grow up and out, hiding windows, crowding the door and giving you a shower when they get wet. They'll sprawl over the fence into the neighbors' yard and scratch the fenders of the auto as you drive into the garage.

Here is another landscape fact you must consider. It is the choice of plants and how they are arranged that makes the difference between a nice, orderly place easy to maintain and one that is involved, costly and difficult to keep up. The most practical way to plan your grounds is to take a long, hard look at the situation and get all the facts down on paper. That goes whether the place has been planted and needs re-planning or whether it is a new one and you are just beginning.