38 
GARDENING IN THE SOUTHWEST 
Flowering 
Shrubs 
Time 
plant growth are lost when mistakes are made in the original 
selection. 
While evergreens are only pruned for form and restraint, flow¬ 
ering shrubs should be kept trimmed for excellence of bloom, 
development of strength and beauty of contour. Those flowering 
shrubs whose habit is to produce a number of canes, from the same 
root stock, should have the old and hardened canes as well as all 
dead wood removed and kept removed. In this way the less ma¬ 
tured branches will develop strength and vigor. In most cases these 
produce much more perfect blossoms. By allowing only enough 
canes to develop to give the bush symmetry without overcrowd¬ 
ing, beauty of form is obtained. 
When it becomes necessary to lower the top branches, never 
trim them all the same height. Cut them irregular lengths, though 
taking care not to be stubby, in order to give the shrub a more 
graceful, natural effect. 
Spirea, trimmed severely immediately after blooming, will give 
light and space to surrounding plants, as well as a greater wealth 
of bloom the succeeding season. This and several others of the 
early-flowering shrubs may be kept the desired shape and size by 
taking off those branches undesired when the buds begin to swell. 
These, put in water indoors, may be forced to flower before those 
out-of-doors by the heat of the house, and thus a double purpose 
is served. 
A simple key as to time of pruning flowering-shrubs is all those 
blossoming in the spring should be trimmed immediately after 
Powering , while those that bloom in late summer or fall should be 
cut back after they lose their leaves or during early winter. 
Editors. 
