16 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



AuGTTST, 1917 



Showy Andromeda (Zenobia or Andromeda speciosa) is a 

 half evergreen about 2 ft. high with highly attractive white 

 flowers. Foliage bluish white 



soil specially prepared, as is the case of nearly 

 all ericaceous plants. 



Box Huckleberry (Gaylussacia brachy- 

 cera) is a low evergreen shrub with creeping 

 branches. The coriaceous leaves somewhat 

 resemble those of the common Boxwood. 

 This is a remarkably beautiful evergreen, very 

 closely related to the Bearberry and a coming 

 plant for gardens and rockeries. It is re- 

 ported as native in three states and should 

 soon be available to our gardens. 



Mountain Cranberry (Vaccinium vitis- 

 idaea), a native of Arctic America and south 

 through the New England States to Massa- 

 chusetts, forms dense, low mats of dark lus- 

 trous green. It is especially suited to dry, 

 rocky banks. 



Bog Rosemary (Andromeda glaucophylla 

 and Andromeda polifolia), besides being good 

 cover plants are very showy in flower and the 

 glossy whitened underside of the leaves is very 

 distinctive. The small pinkish white flowers, 

 borne in graceful terminal clusters, are very_ 

 attractive. The Andromedas are adapted for 

 rockery and border planting. 



Fetter Bush (Leucothoe Catesbaei) is 

 one of the few of our native plants that has 

 had the recognition it deserved. It, however, 

 has never been extensively planted as a ground- 

 cover, but more often as a border plant in 

 front of Rhododendrons to hide that "leggy" 

 appearance of the long stems. The lavender 

 and purple autumn and winter coloring of the 

 Fetter Bush is in marked contrast to the heavy 

 green of other broad-leaved evergreens. 



Sheep Laurel (Kalmia angustifolia), a 

 plant seldom more than two feet high, forms 

 broad stretches of green covering through the 

 woods. It is well worth planting not only for 

 the evergreen effect it gives, but also for the 

 delicate crimson flowers it produces in June. 



Sand Myrtle (Leiophyllum buxifolium) 

 and Labrador Tea (Ledum groenlandicum) 

 are very similar in all aspects. They have 

 clustered flowers and characteristic rusty 

 wool covering of the underside of the leaves. 

 Few plants have more delightfully delicate 

 flowers. 



Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens) and 



the common Wintergreen (Gaultheria pro- 

 cumbens) are known to every one but they are 

 seldom seen in cultivation. And yet they are 

 both low evergreens and are natural cover 

 plants. 



Shin Leaf (Pyrola) and the Prince's Pine 

 (Chimaphila) are low evergreen herbs nearly 

 herbaceous. The flowers of the Shin Leaf 

 are particularly showy for so small a plant. 

 The variegated leaves of the Prince's Pine 

 are remarkably handsome, especially against 

 a background of fallen autumn leaves. 



Creeping Snowberry (Chiogenes hispi- 

 dula) is a creeping evergreen with very slender 

 trailing branches. A very good ground-cover 

 but preferably a rock garden plant, where it 

 will carpet the rocks and earth very effectively. 



Other Broad-leaved Kinds 



TJ UT not all of the cover plants belong to the 

 *-* heath family. The Flowering Moss, 

 Pine-Barren Beauty or Pyxie (Pyxidanthera 

 barbulata) is a very dainty evergreen creeping 

 plant producing delicate white flowers from 

 its cushion-like masses. The Southern Galax 

 (Galax aphylla) is an evergreen herb distantly 

 related to the Pyxie and worthy of being tried 

 as a cover plant. It has been used occa- 

 sionally in rock garden work, and as an edging 

 plant in the woods it has been successfully 

 planted on Long Island. 



Every one acquainted with the woods knows 

 the Partridge Berry or Squaw Berry 

 (Mitchella repens) one of the finest of native 

 evergreen cover plants. The shining, round- 

 ish, evergreen leaves, often variegated with 

 white lines and the crimson berries, are un- 

 commonly attractive. The Partridge Berry 

 thrives very well under evergreen trees, form- 

 ing dense mats. The small, pink flowers are 

 not particularly striking but are quite fra- 

 grant. 



Crowberry (Empetrum nigrum), a pros- 

 trate, spreading heath-like plant, is a pretty 

 evergreen said to be best adapted to rock gar- 



Sand Myrtle (Leiophyllum buxifolium) has white flowers; 

 leaves are rusty color below 



In winter time evergreen cover plants greatly brighten 

 banks and roadways. Andromeda floribunda and A. polifolia 



den planting but will thrive vigorously when 

 planted in shaded places in the woods. The 

 inconspicuous- flowers are followed by black, 

 edible berries. 



Broom Crowberry (Corema Conradii), 

 growing on the sandy pine-barrens of New 

 Jersey is one of the showiest of evergreen 

 flowering plants. It is a low, much-branched 

 shrub with narrow leaves quite like those of 

 the heath. It is only a question of time be- 

 fore the majority of these plants find their 

 way into our gardens, but in the case of the 

 Corema the time is short for it has already at- 

 tracted the attention of growers of native 

 plants. 



Rat-stripper (Pachistima Canbyi), a low 

 evergreen shrub, native of the mountains of 

 the Virginias, is one of the handsomest of 

 trailing evergreen plants. This does well when 

 planted en masse, as an edging plant, or in 

 rockeries — it seems to thrive best in shaded 

 woodland plantings. 



Spindle Bush (Evonymus obovatus), semi- 

 evergreen trailer, is well adapted for planting 

 as a ground-cover Under shade trees. It 

 would be suitably planted under tall, broad- 

 leaved shrubs. 



Dwarf and Trailing Conifers 



AMONG the coniferous plants, the Canadian 

 -*»■ Yew or Ground Hemlock is a remarkably 

 successful ground-cover. The spreading and 

 occasional upright growth of its slender feath- 

 ery branches, and the added beauty of its 

 cheery red cherry-like fruits, make it one of 

 the most finished of evergreen ground-cover 

 plants. When planted thickly throughout a 

 woodland it adds the touch of the primeval. 

 It will thrive in any well-drained soil, and 

 sometimes does well in moist places. An 

 ideal evergreen ground-cover is a combina- 

 tion of Bearberry and Canadian Yew — the 

 upright spikes of the Yew lending the needed 

 contrast to the broad, even stretches of the 

 Bearberry. 



The depressed and trailing forms of the 

 Common Juniper (Juniperus communis) are 

 also excellent cover plants. J. communis 

 depressa, with its spreading prostrate branches 

 covers large patches of ground in its native 

 habitat. Juniperus horizontalis is said to be 

 even more procumbent in habit than variety 

 depressa, and has long, trailing branches. 



