146 LAWN-PLANTING FOR WINTER EFFECT. 



the arbor vifce, these winter tints are dull and uninviting, 

 for which reason, in spite of the custom to the contraiy, I 

 do not much fancy their employment for winter effects. 

 But the retino&porag are, if anything, more lovely in winter 

 than in summer, especially in their mingling of brown and 

 gold. The really golden retinosporas have a pure yellow 

 color in winter, very delightful from the fresh contrast it 

 affords to the neutral tints of the surrounding scenery. 



Of like character is the bronze gold of biota elegan- 

 tissima aurea, a Chinese golden arbor vitse. There is a kin- 

 ship in the appearance of retinosporas and arbor vitaas, in 

 which the former have greatly the advantage in varied 

 beauty ; but we will do well to employ the golden bronze 

 of the eleyantissima arbor vitae whenever we can give it a 

 little favoring protection from cold, which is fortunately not 

 needed for the retinosporas. There are exquisite bluish- 

 tinted junipers, also, erect and torch-like in shape, the grace- 

 ful lines and forms of which can be ill spared from any part 

 of the lawn planted for winter effect. 



The regular evergreen shrubs cannot, of course, be ne- 

 glected. Rhododendron foliage is broad, massive, and 

 shining, one of the most effective features in winter on any 

 lawn. The mahonias, though very different in many ways, 

 have the same general effect, and should be employed, 

 though always with the knowledge that they will fre- 

 quently winter kill, that is, become deciduous, for they 

 rarely die from cold. Masses of these mahonias shine and 

 glisten in winter, and are altogether so fine that we must 

 have them, notwithstanding their weakness. The tree box 

 is also rich, solid, and very attractive during the cold 



