COLOUR IN MY GARDEN 



effective used behind Irises of the pinky-mauve tones, 

 Fraxinella, hybrid Pyrethrums, and for an autumn picture, 

 grouped with the beautiful Desmodium penduliflorum. 



The Purple Beech is perhaps the finest of its kind but 

 it becomes too large a tree for use in the shrubbery or in the 

 flower borders. There is also a purple-leaved Filbert 

 (Corylus avellana purpurea) that is both distinct and 

 beautiful and the purple Sumach (Rhus Cotinus purpurea) , 

 of which good use might be made. Some of the vivacious 

 little Japanese Maples could be better employed massed 

 among other shrubs or used as spots of high colour in the 

 flower borders than as at present — like ships on fire and 

 calling for help in a waste of green grass ocean. The best of 

 these — I hesitate to write its terrible name — is Acer 

 polymorphum atropurpureum nigrum. This is the true 

 blood-leaved variety and keeps its colour throughout the 

 season. Such a variety as versicolor, with red, green, and 

 white leaves, is a bit fantastic for good taste. 



The yellow and white variegated plants and shrubs are a 

 bit more difficult to manage and should be used only after 

 careful consideration of their surroundings. Of the her- 

 baceous things especially, many are poorly coloured and 

 of weedy character, and there is a decided choice among the 

 shrubs. 



The Golden Privet is, I think, one of the best of the 

 yellow-leaved shrubs. In the herbaceous border it is very 

 attractive used in a section of the border where dim blue 

 flowers, Campanulas, Veronicas, and Aconites prevail; or 

 employed to accentuate the sunshiny effect of groups of 

 yellow and white flowers. The golden Elder, too, is a very 



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