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  AMERICAN 
  HOMES 
  AND 
  GARDENS 
  

  

  January, 
  1907 
  

  

  Hints 
  About 
  Shrubs 
  

  

  By 
  E. 
  P. 
  Powell 
  

  

  |HE 
  American 
  home, 
  when 
  not 
  pinched 
  for 
  

   land, 
  should 
  invariably 
  make 
  more 
  of 
  the 
  

   shrubbery. 
  Yet 
  a 
  shrubbery 
  apart 
  from 
  

   other 
  lawns 
  is 
  a 
  rare 
  thing 
  to 
  be 
  found. 
  

   There 
  are 
  flower 
  gardens, 
  and 
  shrubs 
  are 
  

   to 
  be 
  found 
  scattered 
  everywhere 
  — 
  this, 
  of 
  

   course, 
  is 
  better 
  than 
  nothing. 
  But 
  watch 
  nature, 
  and 
  ob- 
  

   serve 
  how 
  she 
  plants 
  the 
  hillsides, 
  not 
  only 
  with 
  groups 
  of 
  

   trees, 
  but 
  with 
  great 
  patches 
  of 
  bushes; 
  and 
  then 
  take 
  notice 
  

   that 
  these 
  are 
  the 
  glory 
  of 
  the 
  successive 
  seasons. 
  What 
  

   can 
  be 
  finer 
  than 
  her 
  collections 
  of 
  sumac, 
  elder, 
  hazel, 
  

   honeysuckle, 
  and 
  her 
  vines 
  of 
  bittersweet 
  and 
  clematis, 
  

   climbing 
  over 
  and 
  glorifying 
  stumps 
  and 
  stones. 
  

  

  I 
  propose 
  to 
  select 
  a 
  dozen 
  or 
  more 
  of 
  shrubs 
  that 
  are 
  

   easily 
  obtainable, 
  and 
  that 
  will 
  thrive 
  in 
  any 
  garden 
  soil. 
  

   Among 
  our 
  natives 
  you 
  must 
  make 
  much 
  of 
  the 
  dogwoods, 
  

   the 
  barberries, 
  the 
  wild 
  plums 
  and 
  wild 
  cherries, 
  the 
  spireas, 
  

   the 
  ribes, 
  the 
  evergreen 
  mahonia, 
  the 
  highbush 
  cranberry, 
  

   the 
  Judas 
  tree, 
  the 
  cornus, 
  in 
  variety, 
  the 
  pawpaw, 
  the 
  

   stuartia, 
  the 
  hazel, 
  and 
  the 
  dwarf 
  maples. 
  Nearly 
  all 
  of 
  

   these 
  can 
  be 
  found 
  along 
  the 
  Atlantic 
  slope, 
  and 
  many 
  of 
  

   them 
  all 
  the 
  way 
  from 
  Maine 
  to 
  Florida. 
  I 
  have 
  been 
  sur- 
  

   prised 
  to 
  find, 
  in 
  the 
  river 
  bottoms 
  of 
  the 
  latter 
  State, 
  wild 
  

   plums, 
  pawpaws, 
  Judas 
  trees, 
  growing 
  with 
  magnolias 
  and 
  

   cabbage 
  palms. 
  However, 
  in 
  New 
  England 
  we 
  shall 
  find 
  

   that 
  nature 
  makes 
  more 
  of 
  the 
  brilliant 
  fruitage 
  plants, 
  such 
  

   as 
  barberries 
  and 
  dogwoods. 
  In 
  the 
  Southern 
  States 
  the 
  

   stuartia 
  and 
  rhododendrons 
  are 
  among 
  the 
  finest. 
  

  

  Nature 
  and 
  man 
  have 
  united 
  to 
  increase 
  this 
  list 
  of 
  native 
  

   shrubs, 
  not 
  only 
  with 
  a 
  superb 
  contribution 
  from 
  other 
  coun- 
  

   tries, 
  but 
  with 
  cross-breds. 
  In 
  my 
  grounds 
  I 
  have 
  some- 
  

   thing 
  like 
  twenty 
  varieties 
  of 
  lilacs, 
  most 
  of 
  them 
  products 
  

   of 
  French 
  plant-breeding. 
  Among 
  the 
  best 
  of 
  these 
  are 
  

   Princess 
  Alexandra, 
  white 
  flowered; 
  Ludwig 
  Spaeth, 
  with 
  

   immense 
  panicles 
  of 
  a 
  reddish 
  purple 
  hue; 
  Pres. 
  Grevy, 
  a 
  

   beautiful 
  blue 
  and 
  double. 
  Our 
  mock 
  oranges 
  have 
  become 
  a 
  

   great 
  family, 
  including 
  a 
  dozen 
  or 
  more 
  superb 
  sorts 
  — 
  to 
  

   which 
  I 
  have 
  myself 
  been 
  able 
  to 
  add 
  three 
  fine 
  novelties. 
  

   The 
  old-fashioned 
  hydrangea, 
  so 
  dear 
  to 
  our 
  mothers, 
  has 
  

   been 
  supplemented 
  with 
  paniculata; 
  and 
  during 
  the 
  last 
  year 
  

   another 
  superb 
  variety, 
  introduced 
  I 
  believe 
  by 
  Mr. 
  E. 
  Y. 
  

   Teas, 
  of 
  Centerville, 
  Ind. 
  This 
  is 
  quite 
  as 
  hardy 
  as 
  pani- 
  

   culata, 
  with 
  the 
  additional 
  glory 
  of 
  being 
  nearly 
  ever-bloom- 
  

   ing. 
  Quite 
  a 
  number 
  of 
  European 
  shrubs 
  have 
  become 
  ac- 
  

   climated 
  and 
  nativized 
  in 
  our 
  soils; 
  among 
  the 
  best 
  being 
  

   the 
  Tartarian 
  honeysuckles, 
  and 
  some 
  of 
  the 
  noblest 
  of 
  the 
  

   thorn 
  bushes, 
  which 
  can 
  be 
  found 
  very 
  frequently 
  in 
  the 
  

   forest 
  openings 
  and 
  along 
  the 
  hill 
  sides. 
  

  

  Now 
  for 
  the 
  list. 
  This 
  must 
  always 
  begin 
  with 
  the 
  little 
  

   Daphne 
  that 
  opens 
  its 
  flowers 
  in 
  April. 
  This 
  bush 
  can 
  be 
  

   cut 
  in 
  March 
  and 
  the 
  twigs 
  blossomed 
  in 
  water. 
  In 
  May 
  I 
  

   count 
  upon 
  Forsythia, 
  with 
  its 
  superb 
  golden 
  cloak 
  of 
  

   flowers, 
  as 
  all 
  important. 
  Almost 
  with 
  it, 
  but 
  lasting 
  much 
  

   longer, 
  is 
  our 
  native 
  Judas 
  tree. 
  This 
  is 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  noblest 
  

   shrubs 
  in 
  existence, 
  although 
  it 
  may 
  be 
  grown 
  large 
  enough 
  

   to 
  be 
  called 
  a 
  small 
  tree. 
  Prunus 
  triloba, 
  although 
  doing 
  

   its 
  best 
  in 
  the 
  Middle 
  States, 
  is 
  quite 
  hardy 
  as 
  far 
  north 
  as 
  

   Buffalo. 
  It 
  is 
  a 
  wonder 
  among 
  shrubs 
  for 
  its 
  exquisite 
  pink 
  

   flowers, 
  as 
  large 
  as 
  our 
  miniature 
  group 
  of 
  roses. 
  Of 
  the 
  

   spireas, 
  prunifolia 
  is 
  decidedly 
  the 
  best 
  May-flowering. 
  

   Lilacs 
  are 
  so 
  profuse 
  flowering, 
  and 
  so 
  uniquely 
  rich 
  in 
  color 
  

   and 
  fragrance, 
  that 
  one 
  may 
  plant 
  them 
  in 
  great 
  profusion. 
  

   I 
  have 
  already 
  named 
  two 
  or 
  three 
  of 
  the 
  best 
  sorts, 
  but 
  no 
  

  

  one 
  should 
  be 
  without 
  the 
  old 
  common 
  lilac, 
  both 
  purple 
  

   and 
  white. 
  To 
  these 
  should 
  be 
  added 
  a 
  free 
  planting 
  of 
  the 
  

   Persian 
  sorts. 
  In 
  fact 
  nothing 
  can 
  surpass 
  the 
  purple 
  

   Persian. 
  Give 
  these 
  good 
  soil 
  and 
  plenty 
  of 
  elbow 
  room. 
  

   The 
  mahonia 
  should 
  find 
  a 
  place 
  everywhere, 
  as 
  an 
  ever- 
  

   green 
  shrub, 
  glorious 
  in 
  leaf, 
  and 
  superb 
  with 
  its 
  great 
  

   clusters 
  of 
  golden 
  flowers. 
  The 
  leaves 
  are 
  fine 
  for 
  winter 
  

   cutting. 
  It 
  must, 
  however, 
  be 
  covered 
  from 
  the 
  winter 
  sun, 
  

   or 
  it 
  will 
  lose 
  its 
  leaves. 
  Among 
  the 
  viburnums 
  the 
  high- 
  

   bush, 
  sometimes 
  called 
  a 
  cranberry, 
  is 
  the 
  most 
  important. 
  

   Its 
  berries 
  can 
  be 
  used 
  for 
  food 
  exactly 
  like 
  cranberries, 
  or 
  

   can 
  be 
  left 
  on 
  the 
  bushes 
  to 
  feed 
  winter 
  birds. 
  The 
  pine 
  

   grosbeak 
  and 
  the 
  waxwing 
  are 
  exceedingly 
  fond 
  of 
  this 
  

   berry, 
  and 
  will 
  visit 
  it 
  in 
  January. 
  Then 
  we 
  have 
  the 
  one 
  

   best 
  bush 
  for 
  hedges, 
  the 
  Tartarian 
  honeysuckle. 
  It 
  will 
  

   sow 
  itself 
  about 
  your 
  fields 
  and 
  gardens, 
  and 
  can 
  be 
  left 
  in 
  

   many 
  a 
  corner 
  to 
  glorify 
  its 
  surroundings. 
  Now 
  add 
  as 
  

   many 
  peonies 
  as 
  you 
  please. 
  For 
  June 
  you 
  may 
  add 
  more 
  

   spireas, 
  and 
  more 
  viburnums 
  if 
  you 
  please, 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  the 
  

   later 
  blossoming 
  lilacs. 
  Deutzia 
  crenata 
  is 
  very 
  generally 
  

   hardy 
  and 
  a 
  noble 
  shrub. 
  About 
  this 
  time 
  we 
  are 
  having 
  

   our 
  syringas, 
  and 
  they 
  extend 
  through 
  the 
  whole 
  month. 
  

   Some 
  of 
  my 
  seedlings 
  blossom 
  as 
  late 
  as 
  the 
  middle 
  of 
  July. 
  

   Rhododendrons 
  do 
  not 
  like 
  some 
  soils, 
  but 
  where 
  they 
  

   thrive 
  should 
  be 
  planted 
  in 
  variety. 
  The 
  Sambucus, 
  or 
  elder 
  

   bush, 
  is 
  really 
  worthy 
  of 
  very 
  general 
  planting. 
  Governor 
  

   Seymour 
  declared 
  it 
  to 
  be 
  the 
  finest 
  of 
  all 
  American 
  shrubs. 
  

   Later 
  in 
  the 
  season 
  we 
  have 
  the 
  altheas 
  in 
  variety, 
  and 
  the 
  

   hydrangeas. 
  I 
  am 
  already 
  making 
  a 
  list 
  quite 
  beyond 
  the 
  

   dozen 
  which 
  I 
  had 
  proposed. 
  And 
  yet 
  I 
  have 
  limited 
  the 
  

   list 
  quite 
  within 
  the 
  means 
  of 
  a 
  common 
  country 
  home. 
  Not 
  

   yet 
  have 
  I 
  named 
  the 
  barberries, 
  the 
  euonymous, 
  the 
  cornus 
  

   in 
  variety, 
  the 
  weigelias, 
  the 
  ribes, 
  and 
  many 
  more. 
  The 
  

   exochorda 
  is 
  a 
  native 
  shrub, 
  hard 
  to 
  propagate, 
  but 
  easy 
  to 
  

   grow. 
  It 
  is 
  covered 
  late 
  in 
  May 
  or 
  early 
  in 
  June 
  with 
  very 
  

   charming 
  white 
  flowers. 
  

  

  All 
  this 
  while 
  I 
  have 
  merely 
  hinted 
  that 
  shrub 
  planting 
  

   should 
  consider 
  the 
  pleasure 
  of 
  the 
  birds 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  our- 
  

   selves. 
  For 
  their 
  joy 
  I 
  would 
  plant 
  the 
  highbush 
  cran- 
  

   berry 
  and 
  the 
  barberries, 
  even 
  if 
  I 
  did 
  not 
  delight 
  in 
  these 
  

   bushes 
  myself. 
  In 
  the 
  arrangement 
  of 
  shrubs 
  look 
  out 
  for 
  

   the 
  conventional. 
  Not 
  anything 
  needs 
  more 
  the 
  appearance 
  

   of 
  being 
  dropped 
  in 
  by 
  Nature. 
  Rows 
  of 
  shrubs 
  are 
  only 
  

   a 
  little 
  less 
  distressing 
  than 
  rows 
  of 
  evergreens. 
  Each 
  group 
  

   of 
  shrubs 
  should, 
  if 
  possible, 
  bring 
  out 
  a 
  succession 
  of 
  

   bloom. 
  Shrubs 
  that 
  naturally 
  hide 
  themselves 
  in 
  the 
  forest 
  

   or 
  glens 
  should 
  be 
  allowed 
  a 
  certain 
  measure 
  of 
  retirement. 
  

   Your 
  whole 
  shrubbery 
  should 
  fit 
  easily 
  into 
  the 
  general 
  idea 
  

   of 
  the 
  homestead, 
  rather 
  than 
  seem 
  to 
  exist 
  for 
  itself 
  alone. 
  

  

  For 
  winter 
  decoration 
  the 
  red 
  dogwood 
  is 
  invaluable, 
  as 
  

   its 
  bark 
  turns 
  a 
  brilliant 
  crimson 
  as 
  cold 
  weather 
  approaches, 
  

   retaining 
  that 
  color 
  until 
  spring. 
  A 
  group 
  of 
  this 
  dogwood 
  

   with 
  barberries 
  and 
  highbush 
  cranberry, 
  in 
  plain 
  view 
  from 
  

   our 
  windows, 
  goes 
  a 
  long 
  way 
  to 
  relieve 
  the 
  dulness 
  or 
  the 
  

   whiteness 
  of 
  winter. 
  

  

  One 
  needs 
  hardly 
  to 
  add 
  a 
  word 
  on 
  the 
  joy 
  that 
  shrubs 
  

   bring 
  and 
  give, 
  yet 
  they 
  have 
  a 
  deep 
  personal 
  and 
  real 
  value 
  

   quite 
  apart 
  from 
  the 
  natural 
  beauty 
  they 
  bring. 
  If 
  cared 
  for 
  

   properly 
  — 
  and 
  sometimes 
  even 
  if 
  neglected 
  — 
  they 
  constitute 
  

   permanent 
  adornments 
  to 
  the 
  home, 
  adornments 
  of 
  grace 
  

   and 
  beauty 
  that 
  are 
  offered 
  by 
  nothing 
  else. 
  Each 
  year 
  adds 
  

   to 
  their 
  beauty 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  to 
  their 
  growth, 
  and 
  the 
  money 
  

   spent 
  for 
  shrubbery 
  will 
  always 
  be 
  regarded 
  as 
  well 
  spent. 
  

  

  