Flowering Shrubs for Continuous Effects -By E. L. D. Seymour, ? 



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York 



A PLANTING TABLE THAT SHOWS WHAT ARE THE BEST HARDY SHRUBS ACCORDING 

 TO THE COLOR OF THE FLOWERS AND ARRANGED IN THEIR SEASON OF BLOOM 



\~K7HY not provide color after color 

 * ^ the season through, and even then 

 be able to anticipate cheery fruit clusters or 

 warm, bright foliage all winter? In the 

 woods for the mere trouble of transplanting, 

 and in the nurseries for prices more than 

 reasonable in proportion to the ultimate 

 effects possible, are materials for the garden 

 artist who aims at impressionistic painting 

 for permanent effects. 



Plant for mass and border effects, 

 rather than for individual specimens. 

 The former soften the lines of boundaries 

 and buildings, carry the eye gradually 

 about the landscape, and either supply 

 backgrounds for herbaceous plants, or 



take their place in front of imposing 

 forest masses. 



Thorough soil preparation is of prime 

 importance. In poor locations, either un- 

 drained or barren, provide practically a new 

 soil of rich loam, well supplied with humus. 

 Give the roots room to stretch out, then 

 pack the earth firmly around them. 



Keep in mind the relative leaf and root sur- 

 faces, and when the injured roots have been 

 cut off cleanly, reduce the top in proportion. 



The heavy mulch of coarse manure, straw 

 or leaves is usually necessary the first win- 

 ter, but thereafter the falling leaves pro- 

 vide all that is ordinarily needed. 



Anything may be planted in spring, and 



in the case of quick-growing, delicate shrubs 

 is essential. Fall planting will often prove 

 most convenient, however. 



Refrain from systematic annual pruning 

 of shrubs. If they have any form at all 

 when planted, and are cut back carefully then 

 they can be relied upon to grow gracefully, 

 naturally and effectively. Take out dead 

 wood, remonstrate with long spindling 

 branches, and once in a while remind the 

 shrub of the form it should take — then let 

 Nature look out for the rest. 



Besides those noted below, the main win- 

 ter effects are gained with the evergreens and 

 the shrubs of bright-colored fruits or barks, 

 which are not discussed at this time. 



Color symbols: W, white; Y, yellow; Pi, pink; R, red; Pu, purple; B. blue. The figure (2) after the commou name indicates the plant belongs rather to the second half of the month. The asterisk (*) 



marks the evergreen species. The reader will note that the illustrations are arranged by season, too 



Common Name 



MARCH 



Weeping filbert 



Japanese pussy 



Bush honeysuckle 



Hall's magnolia (2) 



Spice bush 



Cornelian cherry 



Leatherwood 



Fragrant sumach 



Flowering almond 



Japan quince (2) 



Daphne 



APRIL 

 Dwarf juneberry (2) 



Leather leaf* 



Japan oleaster or "Gou- 



mi"(2) 



Pearl bush (2) 



Swamp leucothoe 



Siberian crab 



American bladder nut (>). . 



Chinese (or Japanese) 



azalea (2) 



Barberry (2) 



Golden bell 



Garland flower* (2) 



Sand myrtle* (2) 



Stagger bush 



Botanical Name 



Corylns Avellana, var. 



pendula 



Salix mullinervis 



Lonicera Stand ishi 



Magnolia slcllata 



Benzoin oderijerum. . . . 



Cornus Mas 



Dirca palustris 



R)ius Canadensis 



Prunus Japonica (nana) 



Cydonia Japonica 



Daphne Mezereum 



Amelanchier Botrya- 

 pium 



Chamcedaphne calycu- 

 lata 



Eleagnus longipes 



Exochorda grandi- 

 flora 



Leucothoe racemosa. . . . 



Pyrus baccata (Mains. . 



baccata) 



Staphylea trijolia 



Azalea Sinensis (mol- 

 lis) 



Berberis Thunbergii . . . 



Forsylhia suspensa 



Daphne Gneorum 



Leiophylhim buxijo- 



liitm 



Pieris Mariana 



Col. 



Character 0} 

 Flower 



Drooping cat- 

 kin 



Catkins 



Single 



Single 



Rosettes 



Small 



Single 



Spike 



Single 



Single 



3-flowered. . . . 



Short, loose . . 

 Long, thin . . . 



Single 



Long plumes. . 

 Short, erect 



Short, few 

 flowered . - . 



Loose, nod- 

 ding 



Loose, erect . . 



Single 



Single 



Thick heads. . 



Flat head 



Xodding. slim. 



Height 0) 

 plant 

 (jeel) 



5-10 ft. 



t 



ft. 



3-6 



ft. 



S-10 ft. 



6-1. 



ft. 



6-20 ft. 



2-6 



ft. 



3-8 



ft. 



2-5 



ft. 



3-6 



ft. 



4-ft 





4-6 



ft. 



1-3 



ft. 



3-6 



ft. 



6-8 



ft. 



5-k 



ft. 



6-8 



ft. 



6-12 



ft. 



3-8 



ft. 



2-4 



ft. 



3-8 



ft. 



J-2 



ft. 



1-3 



ft. 



2-4 



ft. 



Habit 



Weeping . 

 Drooping . 

 Spreading. 

 Spreading. 

 Upright. . 

 Dense . . . 

 Branchy . 

 Spreading. 

 Bushy. . . . 

 Dense . . . 

 Erect. . . . 



Tree form 

 Spreading. 

 Erect. . . . 

 Open. . . . 

 Erect. . . . 

 Tree form 

 Upright. . 

 Erect. . . . 

 Dense . . . 

 Weeping. . 

 Trailing. . 

 Dense . . . 

 Arching. . 



Remarks oj Special Interest 



Thrives in almost any soil. C. Avellana an erect and smaller form. Var. aurea has 

 attractive yellow foliage. Several varieties useful also for their nuts. 



Supposedly a hybrid of 5. Caprea, a much larger form. Catkins are large, abundant 

 and attractive. Like all willows, grows well in wet places. Propagated by cuttings. 



Half evergreen shrub. Flowers faindy blushed, very fragrant. Showy scarlet ber- 

 ries in autumn. In Xorth needs a sheltered position, but worth it. 



The earliest shrubby magnolia, the large (3-inch) sweet-scented flowers appearing 

 before the leaves. Flowers freely at an early age. Plant against background. 



One of the earliest flowering shrubs. Honey-colored rosettes appear before leaves, 

 with crimson fruit in fall. Foliage yellow in autumn. Entire bush aromatic. 



With glossy foliage, yellow flowers in small clusters in early spring and bright red ber- 

 ries in autumn, a very attractive shrub. Almost any soil and either sun or shade. 



Strong-growing in any moist loam soil. Hardy, and though not very showy, pro- 

 duces its small yellow flowers very early, before the leaves which are smooth and shiny. 



Thick spikes of small yellow flowers appear before leaves. One of the best cover plants, 

 especially for dry, rocky banks. Foliage tinted in fall. Large red fruit clusters. 



Hardy. • Flowers abundant, rose-colored, always double, appearing with the leaves. 

 Somewhat resembles P. triloba or flowering plum, but smaller and less used as stock. 



Thick spiny bush, excellent for hedges. Scarlet flowers (1—2 in.), single or in small clus- 

 ters, followed by odd green fruit. Other varieties with flowers ranging to pure white. 



The only hardy deciduous daphne. The flower clusters appear before the leaves often 

 as early as February. Needs well-drained, light soil, and prefers some shade. 



Small flowers in loose, small racemes in profusion. Berries dark red and edible. Stands 

 variety of soils. A. spicata smaller, more profusely flowered, but slightly less hardy. 



Low evergreen spreading shrub. Tiny white bell-like flowers along nodding ter- 

 minal leafy branches. Hardy, Thrives in peaty and sandy moist soil. 



Creamy white flowers inconspicuous but fragrant. Scarlet, edible berries very showy 

 in June. E. argentea (silver berry) very' attractive, with silvery foliage and fruits. 



When in flow r er the most brilliant shrub of its season. Covered with drooping race- 

 emes, dazzling white. Ugly, thin foliage. Prune for shape, or use in background. 



Prefers moist situations, and some shade. Terminal erect racemes of small flowers. 

 Xot as showy as L. Catesbozi, but hardy in the Xorth where the former is not. 



The common decorative crab with pure white blossoms, bright green foliage, and 

 abundant small red fruit in clusters. Various forms, but all hardy. 



Hardy, stout shrub, with pretty white flowers into May, and odd, inflated seed pods. 

 Use for massing. 5. Bumalda, with creamy blossoms in June, may be planted singly. 



The largest-flowered azalea. Yellow to deep orange. Later than A. Canadensis 

 (purple) and A. nudiflora (pink); but more showy. Easy to transplant spring or fall. 



Fine for low hedges. Hardy, vigorous, prefering dry soil. Foliage handsome all season, 

 berries all winter. B. vulgaris larger, with long yellow racemes in May. June. 



Small flowers thickly along stem. Var. Forlunei, smaller, but more erect and vigor- 

 ous. All the forms hardy, vigorous, and largely free from insects and disease. 



A low-trailing evergreen form. Often blossoms again in summer. A good cover 

 for rockeries, thriving in sunny places. D. Blagayana more ascending, flowers whiter. 



Resembles dwarf box and is suited to borders and rockeries in both sun and shade. 

 Pink or white flowers in profusion. In flower throughout June. 



Graceful, hardy species. Flowers pink to white in long drooping clusters. P. Japon- 

 ica larger, more beautiful, but less hardy. P. floribunda a dense evergreen species. 



Weeping filbert 



Bush honeysuckle 



Hall's magnolia 



166 



Flowering almond 



Leather leaf 



