Queen of the Shrubs. I have never seen it listed in 

 catalogues under any recognizable title, and I am ig- 

 norant of its botanical name. 



In July it is a mass of crepe flowers of the tone 

 of the heart of a watermelon, and has a mellow per- 

 fume. There are also other varieties having ugly 

 shades of magenta flowers, as well as a few rare ones 

 of exquisite white. In the autumn its leaves turn 

 orange and carmine. 



For the new home, where you desire the quick ef- 

 fect of shrubs while waiting for the real shrubs of 

 slower growth to develop, there is the herbaceous 

 hibiscus. The loveliest variety has pale pink blos- 

 soms with lemon yellow centres, the flowers being as 

 large as a tea-plate. 



Altheas make wonderful hedges, though slow of 

 growth and needing much early trimming to produce 

 thickness about the roots. Growing singly, if 

 pruned to one trunk they will attain great height. 

 In an old country garden near me there is a pink 

 althea reaching the second story window. The 

 Jeanne d'Arc is a very fine new strain bearing dou- 

 ble flowers of perfect whiteness. 



Nothing is more beautiful than the hardy azaleas. 

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