For December, 1922 



331 



What Shall We Plant for a Hedge Next Spring 



FLORUM AMATOR 



WHAT shall we plant for a he(l,t,^e next Spring ? The 

 answer depends on whether we would like a hedge 

 of thorny or thornless, deciduous, or evergreen 

 shrubs or trees. 



Let us assume that we should like a hedge of deciduous, 

 thornless shrubs or trees. In these there is a choice, 

 among those of suitable shape and size, between those 

 notable for the beauty of their foliage especially, or for 

 their flowers, or their fruit, or for two or all of these 

 features combined. 



If we are resting our choice upon handsome foliage 

 chiefly, there are available several species of Ligustrum, 

 privet. The best known and most widely used is Ligus- 

 trii-m ovalifolimn, California privet. This shrub main- 

 tains the green color of its foliage well into the Winter and 

 retains its foliage in a more or less green state in the 

 latitude of New York usually until its new leaves appear 

 early in the Spring and is therefore a semi-evergreen. 

 Privet grows at its best in the East along the sea-coast 

 and for about ten miles inland, from Massachusetts south. 

 In sections where the temperature is always above zero, 

 this privet is hardy, but in a temperature of ten degrees 

 or more below, it is liable to be killed almost or quite down 

 to the ground. 



California privet should be set for a hedge in a single 

 row, preferably in the Spring, about nine inches apart, and 

 immediatelv after the shrubs are set, they should be 

 cut back to within six inches of the ground. This privet 

 should be pruned several times each season, and at each 

 pruning cut back to within a few inches of where its new- 

 est growth started. It should not be allowed to increase in 

 height more than six inches a year. The sides should 

 be kept vertical as a projecting top shades the bottom of 

 the hedge and discourages growth at the very point where 

 density of the branches is most desirable. There is an- 

 other species of privet which may be used for a hedge, 

 namely, Ligiisfruiii ibota. variety rcgclianuiii. which is said 

 to be very hardy. 



Passing from the half-deciduous, half-evergreen privets, 

 iised in hedges particularly for their handsome foliage, we 

 find a long list of absolutely deciduous shrubs ( that is, 

 shrubs which drop their leaves as soon as struck 1)y the 

 heavy autumnal frosts) which are available for making 

 hedges. Let us consider several of these. Dcutcia gracilis 

 is an excellent shrub for forming a low hedge. It bears 

 prunins: well, has a soft foliage, and in June is well cov- 

 ered with pretty bell-shaped white flowers. This deutzia 

 is one of the most satisfactory of all low growing decid- 

 uous shrubs for a hedge. 



Among the Spiraeas, which are all deciduous, there is 

 one variety very suitable for a low, and another for a some- 

 what higher hedge. The first is Spinra Biiiiialda, variety 

 ".Anthony Waterer." In early Spring the new leaves 

 which this shrub put forth often show to a considerable 

 degree varieg'ations of green, red, and yellowish white. 

 Anthony Waterer produces contimially pretty rose-colored 

 flowers from June until October. Pruning into shaoe 

 after each crop of flowers to the extent of cutting off the 

 drv flowers and cutting back well at the time the branches 

 which bore them, encourages rather than prevents bloom- 

 ing. This spiraea has also the merit of being notablv free 

 from insetcs. The other spirjea most suitable for a hedge 

 is the beautiful white-flowered P'an Hotittci, which nat- 

 urally grows to a height of about six feet but can he kept 

 lower by pi-uning. It is a remarkably graceful shrul), and 



is well Covered with a wealth of pure white flowers in 

 the Spring. When grace rather than severe regularity of 

 form is desired in a hedge, Spinra I'an Hoiittri will cer- 

 tainly satisfy. 



The several other species of spirjea suitable for a low 

 hedge are. namely Spinca Biiuuilda, the most dwarf of all, 

 growing to a height of two feet, having pretty cut leaves, 

 and producing rose-colored flowers through Summer and 

 Autumn ; Spinca callosa growing to a height of about 

 three feet, whose bluish green leaves are purple when 

 young, and whose rosy flowers continue to appear almost 

 throughout tli„e Summer. 



When a higher and stronger, but a thornless hedge is 

 desired, we may plant out Carpinus betulus, European 

 hornbeam. This tree, rather than shrub, whose oval 

 leaves change from green to golden in the autumn and 

 present them as well as when in their Summer color, a 

 pleasing sight, makes an excellent hedge especially where 

 a wind break is required and can be allowed to grow to 

 any height f'r that purpose. 



Fagiis sylvatica, the English beech tree, and a variety 

 of this, purpurea, whose leaves in Spring are a deep ])ur- 

 ple turning later to crimson, and in Autumn to a purijlish 

 green, make lieautiful and strong windbreaking hedges. 



Reverting to flowering shrubs which may be used for 

 hedges, we have Syriuga Z'-ulgaris, the common syringa, or 

 as it is more generally called, lilac. Where a rather 

 tall hedge is sought and regularity of outline is not re- 

 garded of so much importance as an abundance of hand- 

 some sweet-scented flowers, each May, this syringa makes 

 a most satisfactory hedge. 



There are several brier — or spine, — or thorn-bearing 

 kinds of shrubs and trees which may be used as hedges 

 either because their thorns restrain people or animals 

 from passing through a hedge formed of them, or because, 

 aside from this feature, they make by reason of their 

 form, foliage, or flowers, an attractive hedge. 



Bcrbcris Thuubcrgii, Japanese barberry, a spine-bearing 

 shrub, has many merits as a subject for a hedge. It trans- 

 plants well, bears pruning sufficiently at least to keep it at 

 the same height, is not inclined to grow tall, but has a 

 somewhat sjireading top and is therefore easily kept at a 

 height of not more than three or four feet. Its delicate 

 and pretty leaves in the Sjiring and its dropping racemes 

 of yellow flowers are delightful to the eye. The beautiful 

 red to which its leaves turn in the Autumn gives it a bril- 

 liant effect and the scarlet fruit with which this barberry is 

 covered, not only throughout the Autumn and Winter, but 

 well into the Spring, fairly dazzles the eye. 



The several varieties of Rosa rugosa may be used in 

 forming a hedge. The heavily furrowed leaves of this 

 rose, which are almost evertrreen, are a prominent feature 

 and so are its spines. Its flowers, too, some white, others, 

 red, some single, others somewhat double, make a brilliant 

 showing and the orange red hips or fruits of large size, 

 following the flower and remaining long on the bush, pro- 

 long the bright display. 



Cratccgus oxxcanfhus.- Enaiish hawthorn, is a much 

 larger growing subject than Berberis Thunbergii or Rosa 

 rugosa. and has strong thorns. This shrub, or tree, has 

 prettv foliage and single, white flowers, followed by red 

 fruits which remain on late. There is a variety of this, C. 

 oxvcanfhus flore picno. which bears double white flowers. 

 Cratccgus crus-galli, cockspur thorn, is valuable for form- 

 ing a restraining hedge. This is a native Crataegus, posses- 



