HOUSE AND GARDEN 
November, 1912 
Those old favorites, the rhododendrons, never lose their attractiveness. 
They grow best in partially shaded locations 
The feathery, dense foliage of the junipers makes them desirable for 
use either alone or among other coarser evergreens 
“But what varieties?” you say. They are too numerous to 
allow of a complete descriptive list here; and we may get a 
better idea of them, anyway, by considering them in groups or 
classes. Having decided upon the proportions of our picture, 
we must decide the color scheme. But the most natural division 
of shrubs is not by color so much as by character, so we may 
consider them under the heads of (1) flowering, (2) foliage, 
(3) berried, (4) evergreen and (5) bark shrubs, according to 
the feature for which they are used. Of the first class there are 
numerous well-known exam¬ 
ples, such as lilac, spiraea, 
althea (the “Rose of Shar¬ 
on”), hydrangea, deutzias. 
Of the second, or foliage 
group, Japanese maples, pur¬ 
ple beech, golden elder, Cali¬ 
fornia privet, are all popular 
examples. The berried group 
is not so numerous, but Jap¬ 
anese barberry, snowberry 
and red-berried elder are well 
known. 
The evergreens are plenti¬ 
ful and should be included in 
every collection of shrubs. 
While requiring somewhat 
better care and soil than the 
deciduous sorts, their exquis¬ 
ite beauty and the fact that 
they brighten the barren win¬ 
ter landscape with their at¬ 
tractive foliage, make them 
well worth while. They should, properly, be subdivided into 
evergreen shrubs and coniferous evergreens, the latter, though 
not in a strict sense shrubs, nevertheless deserving a place wher¬ 
ever the most beautiful decorative effects are desired. Ever¬ 
green azaleas, Erica (heath), mountain laurel ( Kalmia lati- 
folia), rhododendrons, are some of the best of the first division, 
while Roster's blue spruce, Douglas spruce, blue Virginia cedar, 
are a few of the many extra choice treasures to be had—though 
only at more expense than the shrubs—in the coniferous ever¬ 
greens. These may be planted in the fall if well grown and care¬ 
fully packed, but spring planting, if care is given after planting, 
is a little safer. The shrubs with colored barks are limited in 
number; red-twigged dogwood ( Cornus sanguined) and C. 
Baileyi , and Rubus cratcegifolius, the red Japanese bramble, are 
among the best. 
There may, in special cases, be still another side of the matter 
to consider, and that is the season at which we wish the best dis¬ 
play. For a summer place little attention need be given to the 
early spring or winter aspect of the grounds, but for an all-the- 
year-round home, this is of vital importance. In the table given 
herewith may be found such data in regard to the most useful of 
the hardy shrubs as will en¬ 
able one to make selections 
suitable for a particular pur¬ 
pose. Except in special cases, 
care should always be taken 
to provide a succession of 
bloom. 
One of the mistakes the 
beginner is especially prone 
to fall into, however, is that 
of attempting to use too many 
varieties in a planting. By 
far the best results are ob¬ 
tained by sticking to a few 
kinds in each unit of the pro¬ 
posed layout, and using these 
freely; that is, have as many 
sorts as you wish, or rather 
as you have room for, but do 
not jumble them all in to¬ 
gether. 
Another things to be avoid¬ 
ed is getting the individual 
plants too far apart. Shrubs are different from most other dec¬ 
orative plants in that, when planted in groups, they should crowd 
each other a little for the best results. The fact is, such a semi- 
congested condition of growth, in which the soil about the roots 
may be so shaded as to be bare of all growth of grass or weeds, 
is natural for them. Those forming the outside row will come 
down to meet the grass, but the others should crowd enough so 
that their branches will interlace, forming a continuous canopy, 
except of course where here and there one may be beyond the 
front line of the group, separated from but still belonging to it. 
This does not mean, however, that the plants may crowd when 
(Continued on page 316) 
Isolated plants of hydrangea may be effectively used on the lawn to 
give contrast in color and form with the other shrubbery 
