Shrubs, Hedges, and Hardy Climbers 85 



showing its natural size and beauty if given space for full 

 development. 



Hedges* 



The arrangement of trees or shrubs in the close form 

 of the hedge is under some conditions desirable and can 

 often be done with pleasing effect, though generally only 

 the very low hedge one to three feet high can be con- 

 sidered decidedly ornamental. 



For the complete seclusion of the nursery and play- 

 ground, the clothes-drying yard, etc., or where the space 

 is very limited, the large hedge is sometimes allowable, 

 though difficult and expensive to keep in perfect shape after 

 eight or ten years old. 



PREPARATION OF LAND 



To make a satisfactory hedge, the ground is to be as 

 well prepared as for the growth of trees or shrubs under 

 any other conditions, and as the plants are set out more 

 thickly than where grouped for ornamentation, it should 

 be made richer by an additional supply of suitable plant- 

 food. If trees and other shrubs are growing on the same 

 grounds annual dressings of plant food like fine stable ma- 

 nure, or lawn fertilizers should be made to keep them all in 

 a vigorous growing condition. 



AVOID CLOSE PLANTING 



One of the greatest mistakes made in planting hedges is 

 in the distance at which the trees or shrubs are planted. 

 When set one foot apart or less, as is sometimes practised, 

 if the kinds of plants used naturally grow to large trees, as 

 with the hemlock, spruce, arbor-vitae, honey-locust, etc., 

 * See description of hedge-plants, page 216. 



