162 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



always be cultivated. A bearing fruit- 

 garden would afford a more delightful 

 promenade for the family, if kept in 

 grass, closely cut, but it would soon 

 cease to be a pleasant resort if allowed 

 to decline in fertility, and consequently 

 in the quality of its fruit. — American 

 Rural Home. 



HARDY SHRUBS. 



BY AXTOINE WINTZER, WEST GROVE, PA. 



Persons who have places in the coun- 

 try sometimes desire to plant a few 

 shrubs that will thrive and bloom with- 

 out too much nursing. To assist them 

 in their efforts, I will give a list and 

 description of about a dozen of the most 

 desirable varieties for general culture. 



In the first place a few suggestions 

 about the planting and treatment of 

 hardy shrubs may not be amiss. They 

 can be planted at any time from October 

 to May, when the gi'ound is not frozen 

 or is not too wet. 



Now allow me to say a few words 

 about the pruning of shrubs. This is 

 a very simple affair. All shrubs that 

 bloom in spring, or early summer, 

 should not be pruned in winter or spring 

 unless they have been newly planted ; 

 in this case they should have their tops 

 shortened. When shrubs grow too 

 many shoots, a number of them should 

 be cut out entirely in February or 

 March. If they grow too tall the 

 tops can be clipped in summer, after 

 the plants are through blooming for the 

 season. But Altheas and Hydrangea 

 Grandijlora should always be cut back 

 in winter or early spring, because they 

 bloom in late summer on the young 

 shoots, while the Spireas, JDeutzias, 

 Weigelas, and all shrubs that bloom in 

 May or June, must have shoots of the 

 5past season's growth to produce their 

 flowers. 



Weigela Rosea. — This beautiful Chi- 

 nese shnib is one of the most effective 



plants in the lawn. It produces its 

 beautiful rose-colored flowers in June 

 in the greatest abundance. The plant 

 grows to the height of six or eight feet, 

 and will thrive in any soil. 



Weigela Nana Variegata. — This is 

 another fine plant. It is desirable both 

 for its flowers and its beautiful foliage, 

 which is green in the centre and white 

 on the outside of the leaf, and retains 

 its distinct color all summer. The 

 flowers are a beautiful blush in color, 

 and it would be hard to find a more 

 charming looking plant than this when 

 in full bloom. 



Hydrangea Grandijlora. — This fine 

 shrub was introduced into this country 

 from Japan. It is as hardy as an oak. 

 It begins to bloom in this section (lati- 

 tude of Philadelphia) about the latter 

 part of July, and the flowers remain on 

 the plant until frost. When the flowers 

 first open they are pure white ; after a 

 few weeks they become rose-tinted. 

 They are produced on the ends of the 

 young shoots in large panicles, which 

 are a foot or more in length, and good 

 bushes will grow from 50 to 150 of 

 these immense heads. This plant should 

 be trimmed every year, at any time 

 from November to April. If you want 

 large flowers, prune sharp ; if smaller 

 bloom is preferred, prune light. Plant 

 it on the lawn in a sunny place (for 

 this variety does not require shade), 

 keep the sod from growing around the 

 roots, and give it a surface dressing of 

 stable manure in the fall, and you will 

 have a plant of which you will be 

 proud. It will flourish for a lifetime 

 with decent treatment. It will grow 

 from seven to eight feet high. 



Viburnum Plicatum. — This is a beau- 

 tiful shrub of the Snowball family. It 

 produces its flowers in pure white 

 bunches like the old variety, but the 

 plant has firmer and thicker foliage and 

 a more erect habit of growth. It blooms 



