SHRUBS 115 
more rhododendrons with other shrubs, and you 
can see that only a little while ago there had been 
myriads of bluebells and primroses to perform a 
like office in a more lowly fashion. 
Shrubs are of special value in the hardy garden 
because of their height, which varies the skyline 
agreeably and at the same time gives permanence 
to some of its aspects. In April, when nothing 
herbaceous, barring possibly the crown imperial, 
has dared as yet to raise its blossoms far from 
the ground, a single forsythia will fairly illumine 
the garden because it is a flowering shrub standing 
out boldly against the sky. Then in winter the 
bare branches of shrubs, above a deadly monoto- 
nous level, are a grateful break if they are only 
brown; more so when they are red, green, yellow 
or gray, and still more so when bright fruit or 
evergreen foliage lingers on them. 
In the garden proper these are more important 
considerations than mere wealth of bloom for late 
spring and early summer, when no end of peren- 
nials can be depended upon for flower color. Shrub 
bloom really grows in importance as it recedes from 
the garden, unless the latter is given over en- 
tirely to this class of plants, which is seldom the 
case. 
Put but one evergreen shrub in the garden, re- 
gardless of whether it blooms, and it is imme- 
diately seen that here is an indispensable note. 
Spring, summer, autumn and winter this note is 
indispensable. In a formal garden that is not 
