,1 i - i. v , 1 i) 1 i 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



.'559 



The red buffalo berry fairly sparkles in the August 

 sun. Foliage gray-green 



to harm them. The sumacs' suckering habit 

 enables them to spread and brings the 

 foliage down to the ground. They are 

 shrubs that demand plenty of elbow room 

 which renders them rather difficult for the 

 small mixed border, whereas alone or 

 in a large group this habit is a distinct 

 help. Their large foliage, at all times 

 decorative, is at its best in autumn. 



Of shrubs with colored foliage, the 

 Northwest has almost as wide a selection 

 as the East. Indeed in the buffalo berry 

 already referred to we achieve a gray 

 which the East cannot quite duplicate, 

 only approach by the use of the Russian 

 olive which is also hardy in the North- 

 west. There is a touch of silver that we can 

 bring into the foliage of our shrubbery 

 groups by the use of a native known as 

 silver leaf or badger bush and to botanists 

 as Elaagnus argentea. It will grow any- 

 where and everywhere. Its bloom, though 

 inconspicuous, adds a brief week of frag- 

 rance to the garden. Because of its per- 

 sistent suckering (which if not attended to 

 will make it too 

 numerous among 

 other shrubs) and 

 also because of its 

 color, it cannot be 

 used too promiscu- 

 ously. An artistic- 

 ally placed clump 

 of silver leaf will 

 brighten a dark spot. 



The Siberian pea- 

 tree, though hardy, 

 can scarcely be re- 

 garded as absolutely 

 reliable as it is apt 

 to fail in whole or 

 in part for no ap- 

 parent reason. With 

 the velvet gray of 

 its new foliage and 

 its pea-like blossom, 

 it is, however, a 

 pleasant addition to 

 the color scheme of 

 any planting. Re- 

 sisting drought but 

 indifferently, it is 

 not to be recom- 

 mended for the drier 



parts of the prairies. The purple barberry 

 is hardy and affords us really the only 

 dark leafed shrub we have. Used in 

 hedgerows it is hardly as out of place as 

 its color might lead one to believe. This, 

 (as also the other barberries) fruits so 

 sparsely as to make it in this respect a 

 minus quantity. 



One of the best golden leafed plants is the 

 golden elder. Though many a winter the 

 bush dies down to the ground still it grows 

 so vigorously each spring that by the be- 

 ginning of July such a shrub is from four 

 to six feet high. It blooms during the 

 first week of July but seldom fruits. It 

 will enliven a shrubbery group as noth- 

 ing else can, though the temptation is to 

 use it too freely. Also we have a dwarf 

 philadelphus, seldom growing over four 

 feet which with its fragrant bloom serves 

 a twofold purpose. This shrub loses its 

 golden color in partial shade. 



In a manner every species of shrub has a 

 distinctive foliage, though, while some de- 

 pend on their bloom or their fruit for their 

 attractiveness, the ornamental value of 

 others is contained primarily in the out- 

 line of their leaves. Of this type are the 

 following: 



The cut-leaf elder is hardy, and more airy 

 and graceful than the rest of the tribe. 

 It brings an air of sprightliness into a 

 group. 



Tamarix is perfectly hardy in its roots 

 though the canes die back almost to the 

 ground every winter, making, however, 

 a fair growth every year. It adds a dis- 

 tinctive charm and brings character into a 

 group for the feathery grace of its foliage 

 contrasts effectively with almost every 

 foliage. Against a background of sumac 

 it stands out well, while somehow less 

 effectively though not without beauty, it 

 outlines itself against the leaves of the 



The Tartarian honeysuckle makes a striking specimen shrub because of its inverted appearance 



An added quality of the native rose is the persistent 

 fruits in winter 



native rose. Planting this material by 

 itself is not to be advised. Tamarix 

 requires winter protection and is rather 

 late to start out in spring. The cut-leaf 

 sumac with its fern-like foliage is very 

 effective and though lacking the rugged 

 vigor of the smooth and the staghorn 

 varieties will nevertheless thrive when once 

 established which, however, may be a mat- 

 ter of several trials. 



Prickly ash, the Hercules' club of the 

 East (Aralia spinosa) which in its leaf 

 resembles that of the mountain ash can 

 be planted both for the peculiarity of its 

 foliage as also for its small bright red aro- 

 matic berries which are an autumn joy. 



Though not a shrub, strictly speaking, 

 the choke cherry — which can readily be 

 grown in shrub form — should receive a place 

 in the large shrubbery group because of its 

 summer fragrance and dark lustrous fruit. 

 Though scarcely desirable as shrubs, some 

 of the willows can be used to achieve 

 varying effects. For instance: the laurel 

 leafed willow varies 

 the green of a shrub- 

 bery group in a 

 most pleasing man- 

 ner. The osier wil- 

 low droops and plays 

 in the slightest 

 breeze in a manner 

 impossible for any 

 other shrub to imi- 

 tate. The Russian 

 golden willow with 

 its pronounced yel- 

 low twigs brings 

 into the winter and 

 early spring land- 

 scape an almost 

 obtrusive yellow 

 that can be very 

 easily overdone. 



Thus the West 

 which even now 

 lacks not material 

 for landscape ef- 

 fects will sooner or 

 later develop its 

 own material for 

 its own distinctive 

 needs. 



