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AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



September, 1910 



Hydrangea paniculata in full bloom 



which, being translated, means more or 

 less neglect, have only a weak idea of the 

 possibilities of the shrub under good cul- 

 ture. This fact was quite forcibly illus- 

 trated last season, on my own grounds. 

 A lady visitor went into raptures over a 

 group of which I was quite proud. She 

 had never seen anything like it before. 

 It must be that I was growing a superior 

 variety. Where did I get it? She must 

 have the same kind. It turned out that 

 she had bought her plants from the same 

 dealer I had patronized, and in the same 

 season. The difference in appearance 

 was accounted for by the difference in 

 treatment. 



The hydrangea is extremely effective 

 when planted among other shrubs, as will 

 be seen by reference to the third engrav- 

 ing, where non-flowering shrubs afford a 

 fine background for the display of its 

 enormous clusters of ivory-white blossoms. 



There is no shrub that presents more 



the frost freezes all color out of them, 

 and they drop. 



A plant trained as a standard must be 

 pruned sharply each spring in order to 

 keep It In a satisfactory condition. Unless 

 this Is done, there will be many slender, 

 weak branches Instead of the strong ones 

 on which large clusters only are borne. 



One good standard specimen, in a 

 prominent place on the home-grounds, 

 will afford vastly more satisfaction than 

 shrubs of ordinary habit, whose flowers 

 are, perhaps, more beautiful, but which 

 lack the strength and dignity which char- 

 acterize the hydrangea. 



Too much stress cannot be laid on the 

 Importance of high feeding. While, as 

 has been said, the plant will live on in- 

 definitely in almost any kind of soil, it 

 cannot do itself justice and satisfy its 

 owner unless it is given a liberal amount 

 of rich food. Those who have grown it 

 In the way ordinary shrubs are grown — 



Hydrangea makes a fine shrub with masses of green growing plants 



Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora 



delightful results for planting, either in 

 masses or singly, than the Hydrangea, 

 and It is little wonder that a shrub so 

 boldly decorative In its outline and char- 

 acter, and bearing plume flowers of such 

 exquisite coloring should find so welcome 

 a place in the hearts of all true lovers of 

 plants and flowers. 



It Is one of the finest shrubs for out- 

 door culture and is one of the best 

 varieties of shrubs to use for ornamental 

 bedding or about the home grounds. 



A study of the illustrations will reveal 

 some of the most interesting ways of 

 using them, and how effective develop- 

 ments of the shrub may be attained. Al- 

 though one of the chief charms of this 

 shrub lies in Its coloring, it is not to be 

 regretted that constancy is not its charac- 

 teristic, for Its varied changes of tint, 

 from the beginning of August to the late 

 fall, are beautiful. 



