Preens choice Hardy Shrubs 



NOTE. — Shrubs will be shipped on receipt of orders, or as soon as they can be dug, unless instructed to the contrary, and can 

 only be sent by Freight or Express, at purchaser's expense. They are too heavy and large to be sent by mail. No charge for 

 boxes, packing or delivery to express, freight or steamship lines in Philadelphia. 



THE PLANTING AND CARE OF SHRUBS. 



SHRUBS, deciduous and evergreen, are as much a part of 

 the well-balanced garden as the lawn or flower borders. 

 Many of them are as decorative as any ornamental foliage 

 plant, while others are highly useful as cut flowers, and a well- 

 arranged planting presents an attractive appearance throughout 

 the entire year. 



Shrubs have many uses; such as a dividing line between the 

 flower and vegetable garden, or between the lawn and unculti- 

 vated land beyond; as a background to a flower border; for hiding 

 an unsightly building, fence or foundation, or they may be 

 planted in a mixed shrubbery border, in which case those 

 of short, dense growth should be planted along the front 

 of the border, graduating to the tall-growing kinds at the 

 back. 



Thorough preparation of the soil by spading, and the addition 

 of a liberal quantity of sheep or stable manure or bone meal will 

 be well repaid by strong, vigorous, healthy growth. All the at- 

 tention necessary to such a border would be occasional cultiva- 

 tion to keep down weeds, and a little top dressing of manure or 

 bone meal in the late fall to keep up the fertility of the border. 

 In planting, care should be taken not to overcrowd, allowing 

 sufficient room for future development, and unless an immediate 

 effect is wanted — in which ease they may be planted closer and 

 some of them moved when necessary — the majority of the dwarf- 

 growing kinds may be set about 3 feet apart, the tall, strong 

 growers about 5 feet apart. 



Deciduous Shrubs should be planted in spring as soon as frost 

 is out and the ground in workable condition. This gives them a 

 chance to make some root-growth before hot weather comes; 



and, while it is quite possible to plant up until the beginning of 

 May, they will not do as well as if planted earlier. 



Deciduous Shrubs of all kinds may be planted direclly after 

 the first frost in the fall, usually about October 15th in the lati- 

 tude of Philadelphia, and as there are six weeks of good weather 

 after that date, and less to do at that time than in the spring, it 

 is well to take advantage of the conditions in the autumn. 



The question of when and how to prune Shrubs is one that is 

 frequently asked, and as no hard and fast rule can be given, we 

 can but indicate in a general way what should be done. All 

 Shrubs that blossom before midsummer, such as Deutzias, For- 

 sythias, Lilacs, Philadelphus, Weiglias, etc., produce their 

 flowers on the growth of wood made the previous year. To 

 prune these in spring would be to destroy most of the flowers 

 for that season. These, therefore, should have any necessarj 

 pruning done immediately after flowering. Varieties which blos- 

 som after midsummer produce their blooms on wood made the 

 same season. This class includes such kinds as Altheas, Des- 

 modiums, Hydrangeas, etc., and these should be pruned in early 

 spring. In our judgment, Shrubs are, as a rule, pruned too 

 much, all the pruning, or rather trimming, that is necessary 

 being just enough to keep the plant in nice symmetrical shape, 

 care, of course, being taken to cut out all dead wood, and re- 

 moving sufficient surplus growth, if any, to admit a free circula- 

 tion of air and sunshine to all parts of the plant We offer 

 Shrubs under three heads: first Hardy Deciduous sorts, begin- 

 ning on this page to page 252; Evergreen varieties on pages 253 

 and 254, and Hardy Coniferous Evergreens on page 255. 



HARDY DECIDUOUS SHRUBS. 



In this class is included the most popular and better known of our hardy flowering and ornamental Shrubs. Their popu- 

 larity is based on the wealth of flowers which they produce and their adaptability to the most ordinary conditions. No class 

 of plants presents to our landscape a greater array of blossoms or a more symmetrical arrangement of their flowers, and once 

 established, with the exception of a periodical trimming, may be left to take care of themselves, increasing in size and beauty 

 from year to year. 



Abelia Chinensis Grandiflora. A choice, small Shrub of grace- 

 ful habit, producing through the entire summer and fall months 

 white tinted lilac heather-like flowers in such abundance as to com- 

 pletely cover the plant. 25 cts. each; $2.50 per doz. 



Althea (Rose of Sharon). The Altheas are among the most valu- 

 able of our tall hardy Shrubs on account of their late season of 

 blooming, which is from August to October, a period when but 

 few Shrubs are in flower. They are also extensively used as hedge 

 plants, for which they are admirably adapted. We ofter the iollow 

 ing choice sorts: 



Admiral Dewey. A fine double pure white. 



Alba plena. Double white, crimson centre. 



Atropurpurea plena. Double purple. 



Coerulea plena. Double blue. 



Duchess de Brabant. Double dark red. 



Folia Variegata. Leaves variegated green and white. 



Grandiflora Superba. Double, blush white, with crimson centre. 



Jeanne d'Arc. Double pure white. 



Totus Albus. Fine single pure white, very desirable. 



Violacea plena. Double rosy-lilac. 



25 c:s. each. Set of 10 varieties, $2.25. 



Amorpha Fruticosa (False Indiao). A strong-growing Shrub, 



from 6 to 7 feet high, with finger-like spikes of indigo-colored flowers, 



„ three or more spikes in a cluster; blooms early in Tune. 25 cts. each. 



Althea Alba Plena. r j j 



(244) 



We will supply all Shrubs priced at 25 cts. each for $2.50 per doz.; $18.00 per 100. 



