24 
THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 
February, 1917 
Having in this particular instance located 
the arbor on a line with the rear steps of the 
living porch, and under the branches of a 
handsome Red Maple, whose trunk came back 
of and a little to one side of the centre, instead 
of stiffly on the axis, the next consideration 
was to create an attractive frame of planting 
which would hide the boundaries of the 
property and give seclusion from a near-by 
house. 
Accordingly there was placed immediately 
under the branches a screen planting of shrubs 
which would grow quickly to a large size, 
preserve something of a woodsy or informal 
character, and thrive in the shade. 
These were the Alternate-leaved Dogwood, 
a particularly shapely small tree having dark 
glossy foliage, and blue fruit with red petioles; 
the Witch Hazel, whose large green leaves 
quickly give an effect of luxuriance and which 
in autumn turn to a glowing yellow, followed 
in November by myriads of lacy yellow flowers; 
and the tall form of the quick-growing Mock 
Orange, commonly called “Syringa.” This 
form (Philadelphus grandiflorus) lacks the 
fragrance of the familiar old-fashioned variety 
(P. coronarius) but its growth is much taller. 
In front of these tall shrubs Hemlocks were 
placed at irregular intervals, their soft feathery 
green proving an attraction for both summer 
and winter. Here and there for contrast 
were white Flowering Dogwoods. 
The ends of the encircling shrub masses as 
they emerged from the shade were planted 
with interesting shrubs selected particularly 
for spring bloom and autumn color. 
In early spring a few golden Forsythias 
stood out against the dark green Hemlock, 
the cheerful effect still further enhanced by the 
Yellow Crocus and Daffodils springing up at 
their feet. Another feature of the early 
spring was a large-flowering pink Magnolia, 
picturesquely placed at one side of a large 
rock where location suggested the oval design 
for the future garden. 
As a background hybrid white Lilacs 
flanked the sides of the planting masses 
and in front of these were various attractive 
shrubs. Of these the Pearl bush is particu- 
larly noticeable for its blossom of snowy white, 
and for its early foliage, which clothes the 
bush with clear light green while many shrubs 
are yet clinging tightly to their leaf scales. 
The Tamarix displays an attractive blending 
of feathery pink blossom and fern-like foliage, 
one in the spring, the other in the fall. In 
autumn the leaves of the Winged Evonymus 
are the most attractive pinkish red imaginable, 
survived by pendant fruit of coral pink, which 
bursting discloses scarlet seed. The Fother- 
gilla is beautiful at both seasons — in spring 
being covered with large white blossoms resem- 
bling a bottle brush, and its foliage turning 
deep red in the fall. As a facing to these 
shrubs were the well-known but nevertheless 
attractive Spiraea van Houtteii and the lower 
growing Deutzia Lemoineii, whose white 
masses of flowers form an excellent background 
for May-flowering Tulips. 
In front of the shrubs were a few bright 
flowers, and with this simple beginning it is 
expected at some future time to develop 
this informal planting into an attractive 
garden, as shown by the accompanying sketch, 
having in the centre a turf panel inclosed by a 
border of flowers, backed by still more shrubs 
and an undipped hedge of Japanese Barberry. 
For the present planting, the flowers are 
kept very dainty and simple in their effect, 
the idea being to provide for a succession of 
peculiarly effective and unusual combinations. 
First comes Crocus of purple and gold. 
Daffodils, and the creeping White Arabis, 
then early yellow Tulips and blue Forget-me- 
not. soft yellow Primroses and nodding Iceland 
Poppies of white, orange and yellow, and in 
one place, purple Aubretia combined with 
Wallflowers of a vivid orange. 
In May, under the Bechtel’s Crab with its 
fragrant double pink blossoms, flourished 
pink and lavender Darwin Tulips. A little 
later comes an effect composed of creamy 
white Peonies, tall lavender-blue Iris pallida, 
orange-scarlet Oriental Poppies and the soft 
sulphur yellow of Harison’s Rose. 
A competent man could prepare the soil 
and do the planting in three or four days; 
and although two loads of barnyard fertilizer 
will be sufficient, if wood ashes are at hand 
it will make the soil that much better. I ap- 
pend an estimate for the retail cost of the 
planting. Ten per cent, of the cost of the 
plants should cover the cost of packing and 
freight. While many perennials may be 
raised from seed if one has time and inclina- 
tion. others are necessarily purchased, as is 
shown on the accompanying list. 
Flowering Shrubs as Hedge Plants. Gladys hyatt Sinclair 
YOU CAN HAVE BLOOM ANY MONTH OF THE SEASON, OR BY JUDICIOUS BLENDING MAKE THE HEDGE AN INTEGRAL 
PART OF THE GARDEN COLOR SCHEME IN SUCCESSIVE PERIODS— POPULAR SHRUBS AVAILABLE FOR PRESENT PLANTING 
I F A plain green hedge is a glorified fence, 
what is a flowering hedge? A luxury? 
Not by any means! Flowering hedges are 
easier for che average home grounds than 
hedges of evergreen. Only the strictly formal 
garden demands the clipped evergreen hedge. 
Some of the oldest and commonest shrubs 
make fine hedges for dividing flower and vege- 
table gardens, screening the garden from the 
street, sheltering a border for Lilies and, best 
of all, for securing privacy at the back and 
sides of the garden. A mixed hedge, while 
not, of course, so showy at any one time is 
in bloom much longer than one of a single sort 
of shrub and the many forms and tints of 
foliage give variation all summer. For a 
mixed hedge one must be careful to choose 
shrubs that will grow nearly of a height. 
In a mixed hedge our two natives, Red Bud 
(Cercis canadensis) and the white Flowering 
Dogwood (Cornus florida) should certainly find 
place. The former grows the taller unless 
severely trimmed. It is a straight slender 
shrub that covers itself, even down on its 
trunk, with a mantle of small flowers of peach- 
blossom tint until the whole shrub is a huge 
bouquet before ever a leaf appears. It 
bears immense red leathery pods with bean- 
looking seeds in them. I hese sprout easily 
if soaked in warm water and this is the way 
to grow these shrubs if one wants many, to 
paint a spring pastel in a woods-edge, for 
instance, or to open the season’s ball in a 
hedge of white flowering shrubs. Don’t put 
them with colored Lilacs. If the Lilacs hurry 
or the Red Buds linger you will have toothache. 
I he Dogwood is more sociable and would be 
a fine companion for Lilacs. It grows with 
wide-spreading branches, its great snowy four- 
petalled blossoms set starlike on the sprays 
which make wonderful decorations in the 
house without harming the shrub if the 
pruning is carefully done. 
Another very early bloomer in the mixed 
hedge is the Golden Bell (Forsythia viridissi- 
ma). This is a straight slim sort, its wands 
th ickly gemmed with golden bells in April. 
This shrub is the very heart and spirit of early 
spring embodied— slim and cool and bright and 
windswung, at once promise and fulfilment. 
A Lilac hedge is a beautiful thing, and be- 
cause Lilacs will live without care they are 
usually made to do so, and seldom seen at 
their best. 1 hey are starved, choked and 
let to “sucker” until it is small wonder many 
people are prejudiced against them. If the 
few suckers that come each year are taken 
out and the bushes pruned after they blossom 
there are few handsomer shrubs. Their 
growth is astonishing if they are heavily fed. 
When pruning, cut each blossom stalk a foot 
behind the flowers and shorten rampant stems 
to maintain approximate trimness. 
Besides the common purple and white and 
the old Persian, which make as good hedges as 
any, Charles X. is a single purple with good 
foliage, President Grevy a double bluish 
purple and Mme. Casimir Perier the best and 
hardiest double white. The tall Lilac hedge 
finds its place at the back boundary of the 
ordinary lot or as a screen for laundry yard 
or playground. 
Of the same sheltering height is Mock 
Orange (Philadelphus coronarius) commonly 
miscalled Syringa which is the real name 
