Sherman Nursery Company, Charles City, Iowa 
45 
Shrubs 
Ornamental Shrubs and 
Their Uses 
Shrubs constitute one of the most 
useful groups of plant material at 
the command of the land¬ 
scape designer. They are the 
backbone of the plantings for 
they make splendid hedges 
and backgrounds, they cush¬ 
ion sharp lines about the 
foundation, shut out unpleas¬ 
ant views, hide fences, pro¬ 
vide shade for paths and 
make suitable plantings for 
driveways. 
Shrubs make the walls of 
the outdoor living room and 
compose much of its furni¬ 
ture. There are shrubs to 
fulfill every desire. Foliage 
and flowers are offered in 
many types and in many 
colors. 
Shrubs should always be given primary con¬ 
sideration in the landscape plan because they 
invariably make up most of the foundation 
planting, and foundation planting is important 
because it softens the sharpness of the vertical 
house line and the horizontal ground line and 
makes the house and lot appear to belong to 
each other. 
In locating shrubs, attention should be given 
to the height that the shrubs will attain when 
full grown. For instance, a tall growing shrub 
Three shrub heights are rec¬ 
ognized in landscape planting. 
The highest growing shrubs are 
planted in the background, the medium 
height or “filler” shrubs next in front, 
and the low or “facer” shrubs in front of the 
filler, so there is a gradual transition from the 
height of the background shrubs to the ground 
level. Some shrubs are "self facers,” that is, 
they are bushy clear to the ground, or else 
their branches droop, forming a solid wall, with 
no need of a smaller shrub in front to fill in 
the space between the lower branches and the 
earth. 
How to Plant Shrubs 
1. Trim DOCK shrub 
one third to one holt 
2. Set as deep or sliqhtly 
deeper than plant 
stood in nursery row. 
3. Diq qenerous holes, 50 
roots can spread out 
naturally. 
^ Loosen soil at bottom 
of hole qood 
5. Work soil in around 
roots and tramp firmly 
6. Use water to settle 
soil.then stroiqhten 
plant and fill hole 
with loose soil. 
