THE FORMAL ARRANGEMENT OF TREES. 



Those who have seen the terrace gardens at Trentham, will remember the effective 

 standard Portugal laurels in tubs arranged at regular intervals along the main walks ; 

 in such a form this hardy shrub always appears to advantage, while the small-leaved 

 variety, Cerasus lusitanica myrtifolia is excellent for clipping either as a standard or in 

 hedges. Few people realize how fine a pyramid can be made out of the 



Cerasus Laurocerasus rotundifolia /^'"^^^ when skilfully pruned. Although it 

 does not last more than ten or twelve '(}''' 'j^TBI years, as it becomes bare and a 

 tangle of small sticks under close ajk trimming, a shrub so accommodating 



and inexpensive, and which can be 'f fl so easily replaced, is often useful. 



For clipping, no deciduous tree i.'i Jj is so effective as the little known 



fern-leaved beech, which stands severe \jjji cutting and trimming. The light pea 



green of the foliage in Spring is _ JlL^aa^ delightful, and in the Summer, when 

 it has assumed more sober hues, i.- I(! . 34I . there is much to admire in the 

 beautiful narrow serrated leaves and its peculiarly neat habit. White or 



pink thorns, which will also, of course, stand clipping, are inferior in effect to the fern- 

 leaved beech, but are often useful. 



Clipped trees are not, however, invariably essential to a formal scheme, for there Trees of 

 are conifers and shrubs which have naturally a decidedly symmetrical outline. The naturally 

 best is unquestionably the Irish yew, which together with the golden variety, Taxus l orma '' 

 hibernica aurea will suit most positions and requirements. They form excellent supports a l ' 

 to steps, or to flank the doorway to a porch or garden house, and are also useful when 

 planted at intervals in front of a long bare wall, to break up its surface, and flourish 

 in most soils, positions and atmosphere. Another elegant conical-shaped conifer, 

 Cupressus Frazeri, distinguished by its neat habit and beautiful glaucous foliage, may, in 

 districts favourable to conifers, or on light sandy soils, be even more effective than the 

 Irish yew. C. erecta viridis is very good when in a young state but usually needs 

 renewal every five or six years, as it gets very bare in its lower branches. Juniperus 

 hibernica and J. chinensis are also both very effective conifers of upright growth and 

 good colour. With a little knifing, the following may also be kept in good shape, 

 viz : Cupressus Lawsoniana, C. lutea and C. argentea, Retinospora squarrosa, R. plumosa 

 and R. plumosa aurea, which are all more or less upright in growth. Among the 

 dwarf varieties may be mentioned Cupressus Lawsoniana nana, Chamscyparis ericoides, 

 C. lutea nana, C. leptoclada, C. filicoides and C. Lycopoides. Biota elegans is a 

 charming dwarf-growing conifer with a pleasing bronze shade of colour. Cupressus 

 macrocarpa and its golden variety are two of the best conifers for the formal garden 

 and are especially useful near the seaside. They are of rapid growth, and although 

 not neat in habit when allowed to grow naturally, may be trimmed to a pyramidal form 

 of either round or square sections, and specimens ten or twelve feet in height may be 

 grown in four years. Sweet bays, which may be obtained either as pyramids or 

 mop-headed, also harmonize well with a formal treatment, as do mop-headed Acacias. 



Few deciduous shrubs having variegated foliage equal Cornus elegantissima in colour. 

 It is much superior in both habit and hardiness to the Acer japonica variegata, and, 

 whether used as a bush among conifers, as a standard at intervals along the sides of 

 a walk, or as a pyramid in the formal garden, is to be commended. Certain Japanese 

 Acers make charming standards, but unfortunately succeed only in very mild and sheltered 

 localities. Where, however, gardens are favourably situated, and the soil is light and 

 sandy, nothing could be more charming ; they resent clipping, but may be kept shapely 

 by simply trimming straggling branches. Brooms are among the hardiest varieties of 

 flowering shrubs sufficiently neat in habit to warrant their inclusion in the formal garden, 

 and some of them, when grafted on the common laburnum, make excellent standards. 

 The best varieties are Genista pallida, G. p. praecox, and G. alba. The golden or 



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