34 
House & Garden 
Mattie Edwards Hewitt 
Irregularity of contour is desirable in massed border plantings of 
flowering shrubs. Here it is secured by the form of the spireas 
which form the bulk of the middle-ground planting. Good grada¬ 
tion from the grass walk to the trees is particularly shown at the 
left side of the photograph. In more extended situations, this 
ascending slope from front to back could be more gradual 
THE INTELLIGENT USE OF FLOWERING SHRUBS 
Some General Principles Which. Govern the Selection and Arrangement 
of This Important Class of Plant Material 
ROBERT S. LEMMON 
J N the last analysis, the three great classes 
of plant material that most of us have 
to consider when we plan our home 
grounds are flowers, trees and shrubs. Each 
has its place in the scheme, each complements 
the others in building up the ensemble. All 
the basic requirements of color, size, form and 
habit are found in the sum total of these three 
groups. Their most telling effect is realized 
only when their several functions and limita¬ 
tions are understood and followed. 
The shrubs which form the subject of this 
article are those whose blossoms in spring, 
summer or early autumn constitute one of their 
strongest claims to consideration. The beauty 
and delicacy of the flower garden is theirs, 
backed by no little of the feeling of hardiness 
and permanency that is characteristic of trees. 
They play an indispensable part in every land¬ 
scape plan, be it large or small. 
Perhaps the most effective use of these de¬ 
ciduous flowering shrubs is in masses bordering 
the lawn, driveway and similar areas, where 
they constitute at once an unmistakable boun¬ 
dary and a transition zone that leads into the 
taller background of trees, house or distant 
hills. Here the spireas, deutzias, weigelas, 
forsythias and the like will make up the body 
of an arrangement that presents sufficient va¬ 
riety to wear well and will not call for expert 
knowledge in the matter of culture. Another 
good grouping can be made of single species 
such as lilacs, selecting perhaps a half-dozen 
modern varieties so as to secure a range of 
color and size. Almost invariably the one 
great rule of all mass plantings should be ap¬ 
plied : use comparatively few species, dupli¬ 
cating these as often as need be to make up the 
desired total. In this way one can avoid the 
patchwork effect which too frequently comes 
with a great diversity of kinds. The requisite 
variations in color, form and height can be 
obtained within the limitations of this rule 
if one selects wisely. 
Flowering shrub massings call for irregu¬ 
larity of contour, vertically as well as horizon¬ 
tally, unless a distinctly formal effect is sought. 
This, of course, is a matter of arrangement, 
locating the place for each individual plant 
with full knowledge of the part it will play in 
the completed whole. The taller sorts should 
not be restricted to the back of the planting; 
here and there toward the front one of them 
wall serve as a pleasant accent point. Of 
