Desirable Types of Evergreen Plantings 



By H. E. Holden, New York. 



Ihe liberal use of the various evergreen species in 

 landscape and ornamental treatment will afford many 

 pleasing contrasts and eft'ects. During winter when little 

 else is left to please the eye they are a positive necessity 

 to any landscape. When judiciously arranged as to their 

 future growth, etc., by which is meant their ultimate 

 height at maturity, they afford a never ending contrast in 

 hnth form and color when viewed against a background 

 of the various types of deciduous s])ecies, the effect being 

 heightened by the general blending of both form and 

 color. When the deciduous forms are reduced to their 

 winter bareness the evergreens afford a happy and pleas- 

 ing relief. Even when they are covered as they often are 

 wilii a mantle of snow, the eff'ects thus prochiced are 

 indeed a ])leasing ])icture. 



In boulevard planting or in streets laid out on the park- 

 ing principle they can be advantageously used singly or 

 in groups in the open spaces in shade tree alignments, or 

 where a parking is carried out in the centre of an avenue 

 or street, they can be planted in conjunction with shrub- 

 bery in the various borders, etc., or as individual speci- 

 mens. The dwarfer forms siiould be used for this purpose 

 and the shrub plantations carefullv pruned from time to 

 time to prevent them getting out of bounds. 



In the choice of varieties it is difficult here to make 

 other than a brief reference, as space will not permit a 

 more lengthy treatment. Thev may be considered in 

 three classes; the dwarf and medium dwarf forms for 

 more or less restricted planting, such as the Retinosporos, 

 Thuyas, Junipers, Yews, etc., the larger forms, such as 

 Spruce, Pines, Firs, etc., for extensive areas, and those 

 forms particularly adapted to screening hillside covers, 

 etc. Among the former class there is almost an endless 

 form, variety and color, and to those already mentioned 

 may be added several of the dwarf Pines and Spruce, 

 Pinus ]Mugho, Pinus Cembra, Pinus Koriensis, Picea 

 Gregoriana. Picea Pumilla and Picea Pygmea, etc. They 

 are seen to better advantage in borders or groups and are 

 indispensible when certain eff'ects are desired. Of the 

 other two groups certain types stand out by themselves. 

 In the Pine familv mention should be made particularly 

 of the following : Pinus Austriaca, a quick grower and 

 extremelv valuable in exposed hilly situations ; Pinus 

 Strobus, one of the best under many general conditions, 

 and Pinus Sylvestris, the latter especially suitable for 

 windbreaks. Pinus Excelsa, Pinus Resinosa and Pinus 

 Rigida are also excellent species. Among the Spruces 

 perhaps the Norway Spruce, Abies Excelsa, is the uni- 

 versal favorite. There are several other types, however, 

 much to be ]5referred, such as the White Spruce, Picea 

 Alba and ( )riental Sjiruce, Picea Orientalis, both being a 

 similar but much better form than Excelsa and very 

 hardy. Particular reference should be made to the fol- 

 lowing excellent forms ; Picea Pungens, Pungens Cdauca 

 and Kosteriana, the latter a selected type of the former, 

 and grafted to retain its form and color. Also Abies 

 Engelmanni, Douglasii, Concolor, Nordmanniana and 

 Pectinata, aff'ording a wide range of color and form. 

 Some of these, especially Douglasii, require a deep, o]ien 

 soil to properly develop. 



Our ever popular native Hemlock, Tsuga Canadensis, 

 mav be considered one of our leading and most useful 

 types. Its general adaptaliility, graceful form and rapid 

 growth places it in the forefrf)nt of the evergreen species. 

 As windbreaks, for screen ])lanting, as individual s]ieci- 

 mens or grouped with other types and even for hedge 



])lanting where it can be sheared to a dense form, this 

 t}[)e is always useful and indeed indispensable. Tsuga 

 Carolinaensis, or Carolina Hemlock, is a distinct form of 

 this variety from the Carolina mountains and an excellent 

 addition of more or less recent introduction. 



In exceptional soil conditions where ordinarily few 

 evergreens can be grown at all mention should be made 

 of the following: Pinus Hanksiana, esjiecially adapted to 

 dry. loose soil and cajiable of withstanding extreme 

 drought ; Pinus Sylvestris, often used as windbreaks and 

 in sand dune situations to prevent drifting; Pinus Thun- 

 bergii in poorest soils ; Pinus Flexilis for rocky slopes. 

 For specific data where such extreme ])lanting problems 

 exist excellent and correct information can be readily 

 secured from the L'nited States Forestry Service at 

 Washington. 



USE .\XD I'L.V.VTIN'i; OF EVICRI lUKIC.N SHRUBS. 



It is in this latter type that we have the combined ad- 

 vantage of an evergreen foliage and eft'ect throughout the 

 _\'ear, together with a gorgeous and varied coloring during 

 the blooming period. The H_\-brid Rhododendron, native 

 Rhododendron and Kalmias. Andromedas. several forms 

 of evergreen Azaleas, etc., etc., form a splendid .group, 

 and an exceedingly useful one when certain effects are 

 desired. For Woodland borders or more or less shady 

 situations where little else will be found effective, they 

 are always a welcome addition. It is not necessary as is 

 often thought the case to confine them to such situations. 

 Where the proper borders are prepared and a liberal 

 mulching applied from time to time they can be success- 

 fully grown in more or less open situations. 



Selection of varieties should be confined insofar as the 

 Rhododendron tyjies are concerned entirelv to those 

 known to be hardy in this country, among the best of 

 which may be mentioned the following: .Abraham 

 Lincoln, Charles Dickens, Everestianum, Gen. Grant, H. 

 H. Hunnewell. H. W. Sargent. Kettledrum. Lady Arm- 

 strong, Mrs. Milner, Purpureum Elegans and Grandi- 

 tlorum, Roseum Elegans and < irandiflorum. Album Ele- 

 gans and Grancliflornm, etc. Then, again, there are the 

 Native Rhododendron Maximum and Catawbiense, and 

 also the Native Laurel, Kalmia Latifolia for mass plant- 

 ing in wooded situations where the high coloring of the 

 more expensive H_\brid sorts are not considered necessary. 

 These are collected from their native habitat, and can be 

 purchased at very reasonable prices from leading nurserv- 

 men either in car load or smaller lots. 



.V common error seems to be that the Rhododendron 

 will not stand severe winter conditions. In their native 

 state they are usually found in high and severe altitudes, 

 notably in our own .Allegheny ranges and in the Hima- 

 layas of Northern India. P.riefly a southern exposure 

 should always be avoided, it is the continued freezing and 

 thawing suffered b\- plants so placed tliat result in their 

 destruction, not the cold. Most of the su,ggestions above 

 covering the Coniferous Evergreen sjiecies may be ap- 

 plied in like manner to the Evergreen Shrubs. They re- 

 f|uire a .good, rich fibrous loam with a liberal admixture, 

 but not an excessive use of peat, leaf mould or other 

 vegetable hunnis. Plenty of good, rich top sod. dug into 

 the border, will he fomid an excellent meclium in sup])ly- 

 ing the needed vegetable hunnis. but it should be allowed 

 to rot down well before planting is done. Prepare if 

 possible a season ahead of planting. It must es]:)ecially 

 be remembered that the presence of lime or chalk in the 



