WHAT’S NEW IN SHRUBS 
E. I. FARRINGTON ' 
A Survey That Marks Some High Spots of Recent Progress in 
the Introduction of Ornamental Shrubs for the Hardy Garden 
S OST notable among the newer shrubs which are being 
offered this year are two Azaleas, one of them a true 
foreigner while the other is a domestic hybrid of 
two exotic species. Azalea Schlippenbachii, as the 
first is called, is a most remarkable addition to the Rhododen- 
dron family. For some years it has bloomed in the Arnold 
Arboretum, where it aroused the enthusiasm even of blase 
nurserymen, who are inclined to be sceptical of all novelties 
until they have proved their worth. The only drawback to this 
Azalea, so far as I have learned, is its name, and to paraphrase 
the old quotation about the Rose and its sweetness, possibly 
Azalea Schlippenbachii will prove as popular under that name 
as any other. In color it is bright light pink, a much brighter 
pink than is usually found in early blooming shrubs. It is a 
characteristic of the flowers that they come extremely early. 
I he plant itself much resembles Azalea indica in its habit of 
growth, (but is deciduous) and the flowers are about the same 
size. 
worth which are now 
available. 
Enkianthus campanu- 
latus is one of these 
newer worth while shrubs certain to win wide- 
spread favor when better known. It is differ- 
ent from any other shrub cultivated in this country, 
producing great numbers of bell-shaped flowers slightly 
larger than Lilies-of-the-valley. They have yellow as a 
ground color, but are deeply stained or striped with sal- 
mon and crimson. This shrub, which comes from central 
Japan, is entirely hardy and grows six or eight feet high. It has 
the added value of imparting a fine note of color to the autumn 
landscape, the leaves turning early, but remaining on the plant 
for a long time. 
Then there is a new Hydrangea which promises well. It is 
called Hydrangea xanthoneura Wilsoni, grows four feet high, 
and blooms very freely. 
New Mockoranges (Philadelphus) have come along so fast 
in recent years that they promise to rival the Lilacs in number. 
Some of those listed have no great merit, although not to be 
neglected by any one who is making a collection. A few of the 
newer kinds, however, are remarkably fine. In this list is 
Mont Blanc, which has been out for several years, to be sure, 
and yet is to be found in but few gardens. One nurseryman says 
that this is the best novelty of the kind which has been produced 
in the last half century. Be that as it may, it makes a fine plant, 
and is covered with large panicles of sweetly scented blossoms. 
Apart from the matter of perfume, it seems to me, though, 
that P. splendens is really a better plant. This originated in 
the Arnold Arboretum, and is a remarkably strong growing 
variety, with gracefully arching branches, and very dense fol- 
iage. The flowers are large and pure white. Because of its 
shapely habit it is well adapted for use as a specimen plant. 
P. maximus is another Arboretum variety of no little value, 
where a tall growing shrub is desired. Plants ten to fifteen feet 
high are not unusual, and the white, fragrant flowers are borne 
on upright spikes. This is a hybrid between P. coronarius and 
P. tomentosus. [Many of these newer Mockoranges were 
illustrated in the The Garden Magazine, for June, 1919.] 
ONE OF THE 
BEST OF THE 
NEWER SHRUBS 
Cotoneaster racemi- 
flora soongarica is a 
large shrub with 
graceful arching 
branches, white 
flowers, and red 
fruits, The hand- 
somest of the 
Chinese Cotoneas- 
ters for northern 
gardens 
The second Azalea originated on the Hunnewell estate at 
Wellesley, Mass., resulting from a cross made by T. D. Hatfield, 
the superintendent, between A. japonicum and A. sinensis. 
It has been named Louisa Hunnewell, and makes a fine, erect 
bush four or five feet high. The flowers are golden yellow, and 
produced in immense clusters. It is an Azalea which can be 
readily forced, as was shown at the spring flower show in Boston 
last year, but at the same time it is perfectly hardy even in the 
severe climate of Massachusetts, and is remarkable as being the 
only hybrid of those two kinds that is bud-hardy in New En- 
land. [A portrait of this Azalea appeared in The Garden 
Magazine for May 1920, page 166.] 
1 here are many shrub novelties which might be described in 
such a way as to arouse the cupidity of garden makers every- 
where, but unfortunately a large proportion of them are not to 
be found in any nursery catalogue. This is a frequent cause 
for criticism, and yet there are two sides to the question. It 
is almost impossible for any one nurseryman to carry a great 
number of new varieties, and no such spirit of cooperation has 
been developed as yet that will make it possible for the nursery- 
men to parcel out the differen novelties so that each will grow 
a few entirely different kinas. If some such arrangement 
could be made, it would be greatly in the interests of the public. 
Lemoine, the famous French hybridizer, who has done so 
much to popularize new plants, has altogether only about six 
acres, and begins to catalogue his shrubs when he has only 
fifty or a hundred of one kind. Such methods would not be 
possible here, for a single order might exhaust a nurseryman’s 
stock. Yet among the newer shrubs are several of positive 
38 
