HOW TO SET OUT SHRUBS 



Fig. 1. 



Approach to old-fash- 

 ioned house 



Where to plant your shrubs seems, until you try it, the 

 simplest of matters. One is so often told to "imitate Nature," 

 to plant with a " pleasing irregu- 

 larity," to group shrubs "loosely 

 and naturally," to "create a 

 little landscape picture" — which 

 is all very well, but "imitating 

 Nature" is by no means so easy 

 as it sounds. It is the most 

 difficult form of gardening, and 

 few amateurs hit it exactly right 

 the first time. The typical ar- 

 rangements shown in the illustrations are diagrammatic rather 

 than decorative. 



First consider what kind of house you have. Suppose it 

 is an old-fashioned house, the door squarely in the middle, 

 equal numbers of windows on each side. Then let the per- 

 sonality of the house have some weight — don't make an ap- 

 proach of winding paths, or make irregular groups of shrub- 

 bery — such coquetries are an offense to its dignity. A straight 



row of shrubs each side of 

 the path would look well 

 — box, if you can afford it 

 or are blessed with it, or 

 •' the old-fashioned bridal- 

 wreath, or Spiraea van 

 Houttei. Edging the path 

 you could have a bulb- 

 border followed by Phlox 

 On each side of the shrubs 

 could be regular flower-beds, hollyhocks and vines against the 

 house. Such planting is fairly safe. (Fig. 1.) 



133 



Fig. 2. Symmetrical planting 

 subulata or little English daisies. 



