WOOD AND SHRUBBERY EDGES 93 



the trees, but along the middle of the neutral ground, 

 and would be so planted as to belong equally to garden 

 and wood. The trees would then take their place as 

 the bounding and sheltering feature. It is better to 

 plan it like this at first than to gain the space by felling 

 the outer trees, because the trees at the natural wood 

 edge are better furnished with side branches. Such 

 ground on the shady side of the Scotch Firs would be 

 •the best possible site for a Rhododendron walk, and 

 for Azaleas and Kalmias, kept distinct from the Rhodo- 

 dendrons. Then the Scotch Fir indicates the presence 

 of a light peaty soil ; the very thing for that excellent 

 but much-neglected undershrub GauUheria Shallon . 

 This is one of the few things that will grow actually 

 under the Firs, not perhaps in the densest part of an 

 old wood, but an5rwhere about its edges, or where any 

 light comes in at a clearing or along a cart- way. When 

 once established it spreads with a steady abundance 

 of increase, creeping underground and gradually 

 clothing more and more of the floor of the wood. The 

 flower and fruit have already been shown at pp. 20, 21. 



The Great Wood-rush {Luzula sylvatica) is also a 

 capital plant for filling bare spaces in wood edges. It 

 does not look like a Rush, but like a broad-leaved 

 Grass. The flowers come in May ; loose, spreading 

 clusters of brownish bloom that rise a good two feet 

 above the tufts of handsome foUage. 



Rhododendrons are usually planted much too close 

 together. This is a great mistake ; they should not be 

 nearer than eight to ten feet, or even further, apart, 

 especially in the case of ponticum and some of the 



