348 
The Value of Hedges 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
September, 1911 
to the Home Grounds 
By Ida D. Bennett 
G Gx) 
A are few places—suburban, country 
or village, but what are benefited by a 
length of hedging in some part of the 
premises. The only exception which 
occurs to me is a town lot where the 
entire area is laid to sod and all division 
fences and lines are obliterated or marked 
by a high wall or fence. In the ordinary home grounds of 
a few rods in extent, or of as many acres, more or less 
space is devoted to a vegetable garden and to a flower 
garden of greater or less extent. It is always desirable to 
shut off the kitchen garden from the remainder of the 
grounds by a screen of some sort, and what is more satis- 
factory than a hedge of blooming plants or of evergreen 
shrubs? The flower garden, also, is far more satisfactory 
if shielded by a hedge of some sort, as privacy here is apt 
co be one of the chief charms. 
The service part of the house, especially the clothes-yard 
and back kitchen steps should always be screened in some 
manner—either by hedge, shrubbery, high wall or lattice 
covered with vines. 
A hedge of blooming plants is always fascinating in its 
season of bloom and is an exceedingly practical way of 
affording seclusion, as it grows in value and beauty year by 
year. If in addition to its flowers it possesses the added 
advantage of evergreen foliage, handsomely colored bark 
or ornamental fruit, its value is much increased. 
We are all familiar with the common privet so much 
used for hedges, but there are several less well - known 
terms which are far finer. ‘The Japanese Privet holds its 
foliage the greater part of the winter and the leaves are 
large and handsome, much resembling those of the lilac. 
The Chinese Privet also has broader foliage than the com- 
mon privet and a lighter color; it is also of very free habit, 
standing much clipping. 
But for early spring effect there is nothing which equals 
in gorgeous coloring the Japan Quince-Cydonia. ‘The rose- 
colored form was much more common a few years ago 
than at the present time, few gardens being without at least 
one specimen. As a bush it is somewhat straggling “and 
awkward in effect, but when covered with its wealth of 
lovely flowers in early May it is beautiful indeed and as a 
hedge-plant leaves little to be desired. Grown closely to- 
gether in rows, all faults of growth are eliminated and one 
sees only its beauties. 
An odd and unusual hedge may be achieved by the use of 
the dwarf Horse Chestnut, A%sculus Paviflora, which, in 
July, is covered by the characteristic upright spikes of 
white blossoms peculiar to the Horse Chestnut. Anyone 
who is familiar with that tree when loaded with its mag- 
nificent spikes of flowers can imagine the beauty of a hedge 
ot this character. 
But it is the shrubs which bloom in late summer and fall 
that give especial satisfaction when used as hedges. The 
spring has such a wealth of bloom, from shrub and hardy 
bulbs, that little is needed from the hedgerow, but as the 
season waxes towards fall the bravest of the show is over 
and we welcome these later flowers of the summer. One 
of the finest plants for the purpose is found in the hardy 
Hydrangea, H. Paniculata Grandiflora. Nothing excels it 
and few if any flowers equal it in display when loaded with 
its great heads of bloom. It is an easily grown plant and 
requires only to be planted in rich soil at a reasonable 
distance apart—for it is of a spreading rather than an up- 
right growth, and the annual pruning required intensifies 
this characteristic. It should be heavily mulched with coarse 
manure in the fall and well watered during the heat of 
summer when it is getting its flower buds, and late in winter 
or early spring it should be severely trimmed—cutting 
back about two-thirds of the last season’s growth. This 
results in larger and more numerous blooms, and as the 
blooms come on the new growth is very necessary. 
Another charming plant for fall blooming is found in 
the Hibiscus Syriacus or Althea. These are in every way 
charming hedge-plants, standing trimming well, and as it is 
the habit of the plant to make many branches from the 
ground up, it forms a close hedge as symmetrical almost as 
privet. Any one color of flower, white, blush pink, rose, 
crimson, purple or striped may be used, or two or more 
colors combined, as white with red, white with purple, pink 
and the striped variety, all are certain to afford satisfaction. 
The Altheas are not quite so hardy and rugged as the 
hydrangeas, but stand ordinary winters all right. It is only 
when an exceptionally severe or changeable winter occurs 
that they suffer. Ice about the plants in winter is harmful, 
and good drainage should be assured and the ground about 
the roots well protected with rough litter, and plenty of it 
will be needed. 
There are few of the hardy, flowering shrubs but what 
may be utilized as hedge-plants on occasion. ‘There are 
tew plants but which look better grown in long rows than 
in clumps or as isolated specimens. The old-fashioned 
snowball, and the newer Japan snowball, are very fine when 
used to mask outbuildings and allowed to grow at will. 
The syringeas are beautiful at their period of bloom and 
the Tartarian Honeysuckle is one of the finest ornamental 
hedge-plants. These plants carry flowers of red, of pink 
and of white which are followed by red fruit, which with 
the foliage lasts well into the winter. Single colors may 
be used for planting or two or more may be combined, but 
the single color is more agreeable in effect. 
For a dividing line between town lots the rugosa roses 
are very fine. The plants are sturdy and rugged, making 
fine upright bushes, clothed with heavy wax-like foliage, 
curiously wrinkled. The large single, double and semi- 
double flowers are followed by highly ornamental hips, or 
seed-pods, of orange-red and scarlet. 
The plants will do well in situations where few other 
plants will thrive, standing hot sun and dry, sandy soil 
very well. The most desirable varieties are Atropurpurea 
—a vary dark variety, with nearly black buds opening to a 
crimson-maroon; Blanche Double de Coubert, a double 
white, large and showy; Conrad F. Meyer, a clear silvery 
rose in color and a very large flower with a bud resembling 
the LaFrance rose; Madam George Bruant, a hybrid of a 
large, double form blooming in clusters—a new departure 
in this class of roses; Mrs. F. Waterer, a semi-double, 
deep carmine and Madam Charles Worth, another semi- 
double, rosy carmine flower. All are well worth cultivating, 
especially in the line of hedges or massed plantings to deco- 
rate a waste corner or rough place unfitted for the more 
exacting class of plants. As a general thing roses are not 
especially ornamental when out of bloom, but the Rugosa 
Roses are handsome in any stage, and the hybrid forms 
show much improvement over the original forms, but one 
will always enjoy the artistic qualities of the single white. 
