4,V2 



BANKS 



BANKSIA 



Planting. 



On low banks and torraccs, where soil may be thor- 

 oughly prepiinxl and well oarod for, turf or any vigorous 

 pliUit c;m be establishtnl. In elaliorate pirdoii designs, 

 such planting is often trimmed or traineil to a uniform 

 siirfaee or arr:u\g(\i to make a part of a formal pattern. 



On high b:uiks, landseape beauty of distinction may 

 be created by the selection, arrangement and maiiage- 



468, Banks htld by niMilerate planting, the scenic features 

 not being obscured. 



ment of artificial plantations or the natural growth. 

 High banks uniformly drained and graded to prevent 

 shpping, such as railroad and reservoir slopes, may be 

 turfed. Such treatment is not recommentled in large 

 operations in which an interesting and varied surface- 

 cover, or a low maintenance cost, is desired, ^\'hen 

 large bluffs require many thousand plants and limita- 

 tions of cost require that they be planted with little 

 soil preparation, varieties must be selected that will 

 grow well in the soil presented. They nmst be plants 

 that can be procured in large quantities at low cost, for 

 the bulk of the planting, and it is desirable that they 

 have such special characteristics as underground or 

 surface stolons or trailing stems that root strongly at 

 frequent inter\'als, or stems that root at the tips. 

 There are also varieties with verj' densely matted 

 fibrous roots that hold soil well. 



The following plants meet these requirements for 

 the soils indicated: 



Low evergreen plants for the sandy or gravelly soil 

 of the North: Bearberrj' {Arctoslaphylos Uva-Ursii) an 

 ideal evergreen trailing giound-cover for sand or gravel, 

 of which collected i)lants must be used that are not 

 easily transplanted. Trailing juniper (Juniperus com- 

 munis). Savin juniper (Juniperua Stihimi). These 

 three species are not procurable in large tjuantities at 

 low cost, and collected plants do not transplant readily. 



Low evergreen plants for good soil in shade: Ever- 

 green spurge (Pachysanilra lerrtiiruilis), excellent for 

 sha'ie and hardy over a wide territory. Myrtle or large 

 periwinkle (Vinca nmjorj, from Virginia south. Periwin- 

 kle (Vinca minor), from Pennsylvania north. The last 

 three plants are offered by nurseries in large quanti- 

 ties, the latter at low cost by collectors, and collected 

 plants transplant well. Japanese evergreen honey- 

 suckle (Lonicera japimim). This climber and trailer is 

 one of the bf«t bank-covers in states south of New 

 York, and it can be obtained in nurseries or from col- 

 lectors in large quantities. Spring planting .should be 

 done very early. 



For low deciduous trailers or medium high shrubs for 

 nearly all sf^iLs, the tip-rooting species of blackberry, 

 such as RuhiM ciiwulenidH, R. dumeJimim, R. occiden- 

 talin, and the species with underground stolons, such as 

 the cultivated high-bush blackberries, and red ras[)ber- 

 ries, are serviceable and can be obtained in large ()uan- 

 tities at low Cfjst. Plants having a similar habit may also 

 be thus secured, as the matrimony vine, the Indian 



currant, the weeping golden bell {Forsijlhin siLipcnsa), 

 the wild roses, (Rosn liicida or li. tiitidii), the staghorn 

 sumac (lihiis li/phiiin). Of low-cost trees, the common 

 locust, soft maple, box elder, and Ilussian mulberry, are 

 all suitable. 



Of matted-root plants, the .laijanese barberry, the 

 hop-tree {Plelcn Irifotiala), the European euonymus, 

 the common buckthorn, can usually be readily procured. 



Of small trees for shade, the flowering dogwood and 

 red-bud are especially suitable and attractive from 

 ISlassai'husetts and New York south. 



(.)f tall evergreen trees, the white pine is more ser- 

 viceable for light soils and more easily procured; the 

 arborvita; and red cedar are the most available medium- 

 height trees for average .soils. 



In California, the mesembryanthemtmis are largely 

 used for bank-covers. 



It is very desirable to establish a ground-cover of low 

 shrubs and especially herbs under trees on banks as soon 

 as ijracticable. By using hay containing wild asters, 

 thoroughworts, blazing star, goldenrod, i>erennial sun- 

 flowers, and the like, for mulching young plantations, 

 many of the.se plants will be introduced from .seed, 

 especially when seeds are mature. These will gradually 

 be superseded by such shade-loving plants as ferns, 

 violets, woodland asters, and goldenrods, especially if 

 colonies of these plants are introduced as soon as the 

 plantations are high enough to give shade. 



Arrangement. 



If it is important to retain an extended open view 

 from the top of high banks, then high trees must be 

 confined to the lower edge, medium-sized trees and large 

 shrubs to the central zone, and trailing plants or low 

 shrubs to the upper zone. If the bank is a low one, then 

 low trees or large shrubs must be substituted for the 

 large trees at the bottom of the bank. It is often more 

 interesting, however, to allow the bank to be covered 

 with tall trees and then open vistas and views through 

 these trees 

 by cutting 

 branches and 

 thinning out 

 as they de- 

 velop. Banks 

 offer rather 

 an unusual 

 opportunity 

 for the de- 

 velopment of 

 interesting 

 detail in the 

 development 

 of the plant- 

 ing, because 

 of varying 

 conditions of 

 moisture and 

 soil. Such in- 

 teresting de- 

 tails should 

 be made ac- 

 cessible by 



trails following along the slope on easy grades that can 

 be made at the time the bank is first graded or at later 

 periods as the growth develops. 



Warren H. Manning. 



BANKSU (Sir Joseph Banks, 1743-1820, famous 

 English scientist). I'Tuleacex. Australian evergreen 

 shrubs or trees with handsome foliage, but not widely 

 known in cultivation here. 



Leaves variable, often deeply incised, usually dark 

 green above, white or brown downy beneath : fls. showy, 

 s<'.ssile, usually in pairs, spicate; spike terminal or axil- 

 lary, itKjstly crowded within the bracts and floral Ivs., 



469. Flat plan of a bank treatment on the 

 right of the plan; and good planting against 

 the residence, and up a bank at the rear. 



