Along the approach to the house use freely rhodo- 
dendrons edged by Leucothoe Catesbaet. These always 
looK happy even in the midst of winter 
own companionship to such a degree that the 
more of the plants you put together, the better 
they all do. Failures with rhododendrons— 
assuming of course, that the proper soil con- 
ditions of abundant drainage and absence of 
lime are provided—are always met where 
isolated plants have been set out, and they 
have dwindled for want of companionship. 
If you plant the rhododendron, by all means 
use the leucothoé in the foreground, to make 
the connection with the ground, leaving no 
bare stems to give a semblance of discomfort 
and openness. This handsome Southerner 
will carry itself sturdily in our Northern 
winters, and without the slightest appearance 
of ever “feeling cold.” I should plant it 
freely about the approach to the house and 
around the plantations near the home lawn. 
Of the taller evergreens much has been 
said in the GARDEN MAGaziINE for August, 
1905, and August, 1906. 
The hemlock is undoubtedly the best all- 
round conifer for general planting, whether 
for individual specimens or as a hedge. It 
grows more easily in a greater variety of 
soils than any other coniferous evergreen, 
Showing how the conifers furnish a garden and Keep 
up a cosy appearance all winter 
The bark of the Pennsylvania maple (white stria- 
tions on green). The tree’s striped character is seen 
to best advantage in winter 
and it withstands clipping to a surprising 
degree. For a tall hedge, where it is not 
meant to be sheared into formal shape, the 
arborvite will answer perfectly, but it will 
never attain the same height as the hemlock. 
ROSES FOR WINTER 
Roses there are without which a winter 
garden must not be. The common rugosa 
is sufficiently praised as a_ winter-berried 
plant; everybody knows it as such, because 
its hips are so large and last so long. Very 
few people plant the multiflora rose for its 
berries. It is unfortunate that they really 
do not last all winter, but in the early weeks, 
their light scarlet color, hardly bigger than 
holly berries, makes the plant well worth 
using, and even after the berries drop and 
the foliage has gone, a mass of this rose will 
always animate the shrubbery because its 
bark retains a lively light emerald green 
color. I don’t want black and gray-barked 
shrubs. ‘That is one reason why the bar- 
berries are not so attractive to me as some 
other shrubs. The bright green of the multi- 
flora rose and of the ubiquitous Kerria 
pleases me greatly. On account of its winter 
qualities I can tolerate the profusion of its 
glaring yellow flowers to an almost over- 
powering proportion in the early summer. 
ARE VARIEGATIONS WANTED ? 
Variegated effects in winter are not gener- 
ally desirable. Or rather, I should say, they 
are not generally available. Moreover the 
very effect of the masses of shrubbery or 
bare growths of wood against the snow is the 
acme of variegation. I do not know of a 
more interesting tree for its winter aspect 
than the striped, or Pennsylvania maple. 
It is an ideal lawn plant in every way. The 
striped white and green bark is always 
curious and attractive. This is one of the 
few trees that I would have close to my win- 
dow, or near a front door, because its beauty 
must be seen at short range for the keenest 
enjoyment. 
242 
The Cranberry-bush (Viburnum Opulus) in its winter 
garb. Red berries all through February! Perhaps the 
most variously useful of all shrubs. 
There is one variegated foliage plant that 
is really happy amid the snow. The varie- 
gated form of the trailing euonymous never 
shrivels, and cut sprays in the middle of 
winter seem to be as full of life as on the 
Fourth of July. It is an ideal edging plant, 
and will ramble freely over stones and rocks. 
It will climb a wall, and clothe it with a foliage 
curtain that is expressive of 1.eatness, and is 
admirabiy suited for the smallest garden. I 
used to have an edging of this to the narrow 
flower bed which bordered the front of my 
house, and extended from it over a space of 
about two feet. Why should I plant the 
Madame Salleroi geranium for its white and 
green variegation when I have this other, 
hardy, and with evergreen foliage? It gives 
the same color effect, with infinitely less 
trouble—and, moreover, it gives me a fur- 
nished garden in winter. Nothing that I 
know unites so amiably the snow-covered 
lawn and the snow-bedecked dwarf ever- 
green shrubs that occupy the rest of the bed 
all winter. In between these I planted my 
bulbs, and at odd intervals were various 
herbaceous plants that flower perennially. 
| 
FE 
i = z ~ ~- sS 4 
Is not this expressive of sweeping winds? The leaf- 
less common broom the product of ages of exposure 
