120 FLOWER GARDENING 



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Of shrubs that are not so common, there is an 

 altogether too scant showing of deciduous azaleas, 

 magnolias and flowering crabs (Mains) in the 

 hardy garden. Named varieties of Azalea mollls 

 are strikingly fine for early yellow, red and rose 

 effects, as the bloom precedes the foliage. This 

 azalea will do well in the open, but it and the 

 gorgeous flame azalea (A. calendnlacea) are the 

 better for being treated as undergrowth in partial 

 shade. A dozen two-foot plants of either sells for 

 about seven dollars and a half. Magnolias occa- 

 sionally are winter-killed even after standing for 

 so many years that they have become trees of con- 

 siderable size; but often a single season's bloom 

 is worth the cost. The dwarf species (M. stellata) , 

 which costs two dollars and a half for the three- 

 foot size, is a beautiful garden shrub, especially 

 when it blooms by the side of forsythia. The 

 creamy Chinese magnolia (M. conspicna) and the 

 purplish Japan species (M. atropnrpurea) are best 

 suited for the edge of the garden unless the layout 

 is an extensive one. The flowering crabs are really 

 small trees. The Siberian crab (Mains baccata) 

 is a good choice; so are the double M. spectabilis 

 alba fl. pi. and the dwarf M. Toringo. Four-foot 

 trees are under a dollar in price. 



The amygdaline, or almond, group offers, in its 

 way, quite as much beauty. The double pink and 

 white almonds (Amygdalns chinensis) are charm- 

 ing shrubs that are grossly neglected nowadays. 

 These are very hardy. The double pink and white 



