3^4 Choice of Plant Material 



in size to desired proportions, others are too vigorous to be 

 so treated, and the natural habit must be recognized. We 

 shall call tall shrubs, those which attain naturally a height of 

 over lo feet; medium-sized, those between 6 and lo feet; 

 low or small, those from 3 to 6 feet; and dwarfs those lower 

 than these last dimensions. 



In grouping, the smaller kinds are, of course, placed in 

 front, the taller toward the center of the group. 



From the ornament point of view not only the foliage effect 

 in shape and color during the leafy season, and the color 

 effect of the stems in winter is of importance, but in a large 

 number the flower and fruit is the great attraction. 



In regard to flower not only the character, size, color, and 

 profusion, but particularly the time and persistency of the 

 blooming should be taken into consideration in the choice 

 of shrubs. 



The great art of the landscape artist is to blend or to con- 

 trast foliage in groups or masses, and to secure a succession 

 of harmonious flowers in groups by skilfully combining 

 shrubs, which in habit, size, and character of flower harmon- 

 ize but differ in the time of blooming. 



In some shrubs the flowers appear in early spring either 

 before or with the arrival of the lea\'es, while in others they 

 do not come until midsummer, and a very few species do 

 not flower until the fall, thereby becoming especially valu- 

 able. To assist selection w^e have, therefore, given the time 

 of flowering, which, of course, varies slightly according to 

 season and latitude. When no statement is made, the 

 usual time. May, June, is understood. 



Flowers appear either singly or in bunches and clusters 

 of varying shapes; in flat "cymes" Hke the common Yarrow 

 and Viburnum; or in elongated pendent "racemes," like the 

 Bleeding Heart; or in long, dense, or loose "spikes," like 



