<!6 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



planted have the merit of being exceedingly hardy, very fiorifer- 

 ous and almost sure to bloom annually, but many less known 

 plants have all these characteristics. Even the species com- 

 monly planted have relatives fully as beautiful and interesting. 

 The Persian lilac, for instance, costs no' more than the familiar 

 shrub of grandmother's garden and is a much more graceful 

 and charming plant. 



The alnuulant flowers of the Pearl Bush. 

 (Courtesy of Meehans' Garden Bulletin) 



It is unlikely that any other spiraea will ever supplant the 

 bridal wreath (Spiraea Vanhoiittn) but its smaller relative, 

 known as the snow garland {S. TJuuibergii) deserves more 

 frequent planting. It is one of the earliest of shrubs to bloom 

 and its wand-like branches laden with small, white, star-shaped 

 flowers is w^arrant enough for the common name. About the 

 time that the snow garland becomes conspicuous in the shrub- 



