114 LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



tones and tints of grays and greens and browns, like 

 those of the pussy willow and the roadside dogwood; 

 and lie revels in the beautiful variety of texture offered 

 by the spirea, the sumach and the Judas tree. 



We have already called attention to the usefulness 

 of shrubs in naturalistic plantings, and need not repeat 

 what has been said. But shrubs are also indispensable in 

 all other systems of gardening, and a study of the species 

 and varieties at command must be the first business of 

 the gardener. Tlie following list is not at all complete, 

 but is meant to include the hardier and more useful 

 kinds. There are enough for most plantings, for one 

 must not make the mistake of trying to plant everything. 

 A dozen well-selected species give a better effect thun 

 two hundred sorts liuddled and crowded and jumbled 

 together. 



One frequently sees shrubs tied up in straw, or laid 

 down and covered, or otherwise carefully protected for 

 the winter. This has to be done with certain species in 

 certain situations to keep them alive. But there are so 

 many perfectly hardy shrubs, able to withstand every- 

 thing that comes, that such labor may be entirely 

 avoided. In fact, those plants which have to be cod- 

 dled through bad weather and favored above their neigh- 

 bors always give a suggestion of unnaturalness to the 

 place. They seem to be exotic, — foreign to the situa- 

 tion. The perfectly wild garden, able to care for itself 

 and always at home with its surroundings, has a certain 

 permanency and unity of effect which no other garden 

 can have. 



Shrubs should be given proper pruning; but they 

 should be spared the sort they often get. Only in very 

 exceptional circumstances should the tops be sheared, or 

 the growth cut back at the extremities. This spoils at 

 once the graceful drooping habit which is separately 

 characteristic of almost every species. When the prun- 



