52 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



NATIVE ORNAMENTAL SHRUBS. 



^HEN laying out the grounds around the country home, it is by no 

 means necessary to go to great expense in order to have them well 

 planted out with appropriate trees and shrubs. No doubt the 

 consideration of the high prices of the rare trees and shrubs usually 

 sold for such purposes often deters the economical planter from 

 filling out his grounds in such a manner as to set off the dwelling 

 to the best advantage, and to screen objects that are not sightly. 



A trip to the woods last autumn was well repaid in the large bundle of fine 

 native trees and shrubs brought home for our own grounds ; and the trip itself 

 was a pleasure. To the unobservant the woods in winter ^.re wholly uninterest- 

 ing ; they do not see a collection of individuals, each with its distinctive 

 characteristics ; but a monotonous whole, bare of beauty, only reminding one 

 of the cold, dismal and wintry days of life. But the student of nature sees in 

 each tree its own characteristics, in bark or bud or habit of growth ; and even 

 the various species of the same kind are easily distinguished by him. 



Not to speak at this time of the trees suitable for planting in the house yard, 

 there are a few shrubs of especial merit for this purpose, which impress the 

 writer most favorably. One of these is the Black Alder (Ilex verticillata), which 

 is found quite commonly in the Niagara district, in low and swampy grounds. 

 In some neighborhoods whole acres are rendered gay with its bright red berries, 

 which hang all winter unless robbed by the birds. 



This and another species are the only Canadian representatives of the family, 

 of which there are one hundred and forty-five species known. Although its 

 natural habit is in swampy places, yet it will succeed in any good garden loam, 

 and, for its winter beauty, it certainly deserves to be considered when filling up 

 our lawns with clumps of shrubbery. 



Walking along the brow of the so-called mountain, at the place called the 

 " Fairview,'' near Grimsby, we found the Witch Hazel (Hamamelis Virginica), a 

 tall shrub, which blooms very late in autumn and does not mature its seeds until 

 the following summer. In form of growth this shrub is somewhat straggling, but, 

 on account of its singularity, it deserves to be included in any large collection. 

 Curiously it is not found anywhere in Ontario, except in some districts west of 

 Toronto. 



The Celastracese also furnishes us with some of our most showy native trees 

 and shrubs ; for instance, the Stratvberry Bush (Euonymus Americana) ; the 

 Burning Bush (Euonymus atropurpurae), and the Waxwork or Climbing Bitter 

 Sweet (Celastrus scandens). 



The latter we found growing freely along the northern border of the Niagara 

 escarpment, near Grimsby. One is surprised to find here and there in the month 

 of November a thicket gay with berries of this beautiful shrub. They are not 



