CHAPTER XXIX 

 NATIVE AND OTHER HARDY EVERGREENS 



RAMBLING about the country in winter, one becomes 

 more and more impressed with the beauty of our 

 native evergreen trees and shrubs. Seven names 

 comprise them all Yew, Holly, Scotch Fir, Spruce, 

 Juniper, Box, and Ivy. Even of these the Scotch 

 and Spruce Firs (commonly so-called, though the 

 Scotch is a Pine) are doubtful natives, though so 

 long acclimatised that they may be classed with our 

 own. Those who are laying out new grounds on a 

 large scale would do well to plant these grand things 

 in plenty ; indeed, in the case of any new planting 

 that is taken in hand, unless the owner has a good 

 knowledge of shrubs and some taste in their choice 

 and disposition, a planting of these alone would save 

 him from many a regrettable mistake, and from the 

 prospect of the usual senseless jumble of mixed 

 shrubbery that has hopelessly spoilt thousands of 

 gardens. 



No foreign shrubs can compare with or take the 

 place of our Yews and Hollies. However large 

 a collection of exotics may be in a well-stocked 

 arboretum, a winter walk among them only shows 

 that there is nothing more cheerfully handsome than 

 our Hollies, or more solemnly dignified than our 



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