176 COME INTO THE GARDEN 



in which forest leaves are decaying constantly, 

 providing it with the acid that vegetable ma- 

 ter of this sort alone will furnish — which these 

 plants all require. 



The relative positions which these shrubs 

 should occup3^ toward each other, and the dis- 

 tances between them, are the same as with de- 

 ciduous material. The tallest are the Ilex Ma- 

 honia, and some Cotoneasters; the next are the 

 laurel and Andromeda and the others are still 

 lower, down to the almost prostrate growing 

 Cotoneaster microphylla. 



Of them finally it is perhaps well to say that 

 they are expensive material; but if they are 

 selected of a size to be really effective they will 

 produce an effect as immediate as any other 

 evergreen. Otherwise they will not produce a 

 finished effect as soon as deciduous material, 

 since they are of much slower growth. More- 

 over, while they are growing, it will not do to 

 fill the blank spaces between or around them 

 with other shrubs or even with lush growing 

 annuals, for these will choke off light and air 

 from them and retard their own progress almost 

 altogether. These things considered, however, 

 there is no reason why evergreen shrubs should 

 not be as freely used in the small garden as in 

 the large, and with delightful effect. 



