SHRUBS, HEDGES, AND HARDY CLIMBERS. 77 



to individuals or groups as to distance, blending of colors 

 and forms, etc. 



TWO METHODS OF GROUPING. 



Two methods of grouping are commonly practised, i.e., 

 1st, the grouping of many flowering varieties in one mass 

 whereby some kinds may be in bloom at all times from 

 April to November, and 2d, the arrangement of large 

 masses of one species or variety together so as to produce 

 very marked effect. The former will generally give the 

 most satisfaction on small grounds, but on places of consid- 

 erable extent the most pleasing results will be obtained 

 by planting many specimens of one kind in a group. For 

 example, large groups of Forsythias, Spiraea Van Houttii, 

 Hydrangea paniculata, Japanese snowball, etc., arranged in 

 large masses, present beautiful views and strong contrasts 

 that cannot be obtained in any other way. 



At the entrance of the grounds, as in Fig. 3G, beside the 

 walk or drive, or at their forkings, as in Fig. 39, groups of 

 shrubs fix the attention on the change of direction, and we 

 pass on or change from one walk to another less conscious 

 of the change of direction than if only the plain walk was 

 before ns. 



Another use of shrubs may be found in their serving to 

 give a reason for abrupt changes of direction or the 

 termination of a walk, as shown in Figs. 40 and 41, and 

 also to make a curved walk on small grounds appear the 

 most natural and the shortest distance between two points, 

 as in Fig. 31. 



Change of curves in walks are made to appear more 

 natural if the borders are more or less decorated with shrubs 



