638 Ornamental Gardening. 



under no circumstances should large fast-growing trees be 

 planted, as they soon kill or starve everything else. Two or 

 three good trees in such a garden would be quite enough, for 

 the rest evergreen and flowering deciduous shrubs would suffice. 

 Tender subjects should be avoided altogether, as blanks caused 

 by frosts would be too conspicuous. Even the Common Laurel 

 might well be dispensed with, especially in heavy soils, for 

 there is the risk of its being cut down to the ground every fifth 

 or sixth year ; and the Portugal Laurel is equally effective as 

 an evergreen and much hardier. 



As a guide in choosing plants for a small garden we here 

 append short lists l of perfectly hardy subjects. It will be 

 understood that these lists do not include a quarter of the avail- 

 able species, but only a few of the best and those most extensively 

 grown. We have already warned planters against the use of 

 large or fast-growing trees in small gardens, for however pretty 

 they may be for a few years, they will eventually outgrow the 

 place, obstruct the view, and spoil all undershrubs and plants. 

 A few small trees may be sparingly planted, especially some of 

 the coniferous shrubby trees that will bear pruning with im- 

 punity, for example, Cupressus Lawsoniana and C. Nutkaeusis, 

 Cedrus Deodara, Pinus Cembra and P. muricata, Libocedrus 

 decurrens, Thuja gigantea (Lobbii), and English Yew, amongst 

 evergreens ; and Laburnum, Almond, Judas Tree, Scarlet and 

 Pink Thorns, ^Esculus Pavia, Elaeagnus angustifolius, Liquid- 

 ambar styraciflua, and Catalpa syringefolia small trees with 

 deciduous foliage and, for the greater part, with handsome 

 flowers. The most desirable shrubs for a small garden are 

 those which are permanently ornamental, that is to say, ever- 

 greens either with or without conspicuous flowers. Deciduous 

 flowering shrubs should be used for filling up, and where 

 neither screen nor shelter is needed in the winter. For hedges 

 and screens, Portugal Laurel, Arbor Vitae (Thuja occidentalis), 

 and English Yew are as good as anything. Holly is very 

 handsome, but of much too slow growth for general purposes. 

 The following are some of the best evergreen shrubs : 



1. With conspicuous Flowers. Berberis Darwinii, orange ; 

 B. aquifolia, yellow ; Laurustinus, white ; varieties of Khodo- 

 dendron Ponticum, maximum, and Catawbiense, various ; 

 Magnolia glauca, creamy white, etc. 



1 A few pages forward some remarks will be found on shrubs, etc., suitable for 

 sea-side plunting.- 



