26 maine agricultural experiment station. 



Bulletin No. 46. 

 SOME ORNAMENTAL PLANTS FOR MAINE. 



W. M. MUNSON. 



The ornamentation of rural homes is of the highest importance 

 to the people of Maine, not only as a means of adding to the 

 comfort and pleasure of the home life, but as an attraction for 

 the increasing numbers of summer visitors and as a means of 

 enhancing the value of farm property. 



Concerning methods of planting and culture of trees and 

 shrubs, but little need be said at this time. Some notes have 

 been published by the Station in Bulletin 42. 



In general it may be said that to get satisfactory results, shrubs 

 and other flowering plants should receive as good treatment as 

 corn and potatoes. When once established, shrubs and peren- 

 nial herbs require much less care than do annuals, but during the 

 first year or so, careful attention will be well repaid. 



In determining what to plant, several points must be consid- 

 ered : First of all, the plant must be hardy. Some of the finest 

 shrubs of Massachusetts and New York are utterly unsuited for 

 the climate of Maine. For this reason the use of native plants 

 is to be recommended so far as possible, and few exotics are 

 superior to the common viburnums, dogwoods, elders, sumachs 

 and laurels. Other points to be considered are : season, habit, 

 beauty of foliage, flower and fruit. If possible, such a selection 

 should be made as will afford a succession of bloom or other 

 attractive qualities through the season. For instance, among 

 flowering shrubs, the earlier spiraeas, may be followed by double 

 flowering plum, Tartarian honeysuckle, and Japan quince, these 

 in turn by lilacs, weigela, and later by roses, mock orange and 

 hydrangea. To this list may be added the common high bush 

 cranberry and the dwarf Juneberry or shadbush from the 

 pasture. 



For beauty of foliage, the golden elder and the golden 

 syringa are unsurpassed. Purple berberry, {Spiraea Thunber- 

 gii,) and the common staghorn sumach are also to be recom- 

 mended. The last is specially valuable for its rich coloring in 

 the fall. For the best effects it should be planted in masses, on 



