152 THE BLOSSOM CIRCLE OF THE YEAR 



tion may be made. Vacant places may be left for the later ever- 

 green plantings or quick-growing shrubs may be put in with the 

 intention of cutting them out later when the slower-growing 

 evergreens are large enough to cover the desired spaces. 



The list of shrubs which follows gives those which can be 

 depended upon for blossoms in season and out of season and 

 which will thrive without being an undue tax upon the gardener's 

 time. They are all beautiful and desirable. 



The earliest of all the deciduous shrubs to bloom is Jasminum 

 nudiflorum, which comes in January; February brings the For- 

 sythias, F. vmdissima, F. suspensa, and F. Fortunei, with the 

 earliest of the Spiraeas, S. prunijolia fl. pl.^ commonly called the 

 Bridal Wreath; this makes a striking contrast to the brilliant 

 blossoms of the flaming Cydonia japonica, or Burning Bush, as 

 the Flowering Quince is usually called; and blooming at the same 

 time is Lonicera Jragrantissima^ the fragrant Honeysuckle, which 

 is almost evergreen. 



March shows the blossoms of the Spiraeas, 6". Reevesiana and 

 S. Reevesiana fl. pi.; the Lilacs, Syringa vulgaris and S. chinensis, 

 and the Manchurian Honeysuckle, L. Ruprechtiana ; with the 

 orange balls of Kerria japonica, the Chinese Globe Flower, and 

 the white of the same species, Rhodotypos kerrioides. One of 

 the most attractive of the March shrubs that is most effective 

 for massing with che Spiraeas and Lilacs or with the evergreens 

 is the Pearl Bush, Exochorda grandiflora. 



April shows the later Lilacs, Viburnum plicatum, or Japanese 

 Snowball, old-fashioned flower of our grandmothers' time, but 

 always lovely; the Flowering Crab, Pyrus floribunda^ and the 

 Tartarian Honeysuckle, Lonicera tatarica. Later in the month, 

 Spirxa Van Houttei opens to the April breezes and showers its 

 petals like drifts of snow as the suns of May come on. Phila- 

 delphus coronarius, the Syringa of our mothers' day; the Deutzias, 

 D. gracilis^ dwarf, Z). crenata, tall, and D. gracilis rosea, and the 

 Weigela, Diervilla florida, a most charming shrub with rosy- 

 colored flowers that cover its branches from tip to stem and 

 make it a most delightful companion for the Deutzias, come 



