SHRUBS 115 



more rhododendrons with other shrubs, and you 

 can see that only a little while ago there had been 

 myriads of bluebells and primroses to perform a 

 like office in a more lowly fashion. 



Shrubs are of special value in the hardy garden 

 because of their height, which varies the skyline 

 agreeably and at the same time gives permanence 

 to some of its aspects. In April, when nothing 

 herbaceous, barring possibly the crown imperial, 

 has dared as yet to raise its blossoms, far from 

 the ground, a single forsythia will fairly illumine 

 the garden because it is a flowering shrub standing 

 out boldly against the sky. Then in winter the 

 bare branches of shrubs, above a deadly monoto- 

 nous level, are a grateful break if they are only 

 brown; more so when they are red, green, yellow 

 or gray, and still more so when bright fruit or 

 evergreen foliage lingers on them. 



In the garden proper these are more important 

 considerations than mere wealth of bloom for late 

 spring and early summer, when no end of peren- 

 nials can be depended upon for flower color. Shrub 

 bloom really grows in importance as it recedes from 

 the garden, unless the latter is given over en- 

 tirely to this class of plants, which is seldom the 

 case. 



Put but one evergreen shrub in the garden, re- 

 gardless of whether it blooms, and it is imme- 

 diately seen that here is an indispensable note. 

 Spring, summer, autumn and winter this note is 

 indispensable. In a formal garden that is not 



