WHAT CAN BE DONE IN TEN YEARS 
AT MAKING A COUNTRY HOME-III. 
By MARY C. ROBBINS 
( Continued from the November number of House and Garden ) 
VINES AND SHRUBS 
T HE proper disposition of shrubs about a 
place requires almost as much thought as 
the planting of trees, with this advantage, 
that they can be more easily moved about if 
one is dissatisfied with their first situation. 
On small places, sometimes it is better to 
furnish with shrubs than trees, as they do 
not dwarf the size of the grounds, and can 
be disposed picturesquelv so as even to seem 
to add to the extent of the place. 
In our own case, we thought we had room 
for everything in the barren space which had 
to be filled as rapidly as possible, and it was 
not more than three years before we found 
that we were everywhere overcrowded, and 
that it would have been better to be more 
patient and set out fewer plants. 
The very first necessity is to link the 
house to the ground by growing things con¬ 
tiguous to it. It is wonderful to see the 
coziness and homelikeness induced by even 
one vine to drape the bare outlines of a 
dwelling, and make it seem a natural growth 
from the soil. I'he most obvious and quick¬ 
est growing of these vines is the Virginia 
creeper, which it is well to set out for a quick 
cover, even if others are wanted for perma¬ 
nent use. Over an open veranda, which it 
is desirable to shelter in summer, and to 
leave exposed for light in winter, we have 
found great satisfaction in the Dutchman’s 
Pipe (Aristolochia Sipbo), a climber with very 
broad leaves and a tiny, pipe-like blossom, 
wholly free from insects, which, allowed to 
grow over a wire-netting frame, affords a 
roof of soft bright green, almost impervious 
to a summer shower. 
Broad covered verandas over a house in¬ 
tended only for summer use are well enough, 
but, for an all-the-year-round dwelling, they 
are often an annoyance, as they shut out sun¬ 
shine and light from the lower rooms. Con¬ 
sequently, if the only place for a piazza is 
on the south side, it is well to trust to vines 
almost alone for shade, after providing a 
railed balcony to sit upon. Some small 
part of the veranda should be covered, and 
if possible arranged for glassing in during 
the winter months ; but on the whole, par¬ 
ticularly in a New' England home, sunshine 
is the dearest necessity for nine months of 
the year ; and in the hot season the southern 
breeze prevails and the sun rides high, so 
that well exposed windows in that direction 
are the pleasantest. 
For a cold exposure, we have found the 
Japanese Akebia quinata a most satisfactory 
twiner. It has a quaint, claret purple col¬ 
ored, fragrant little blossom half hidden by 
a delicate foliage of five leaflets, and is both 
graceful and hardy. It loves to run over 
trees and arbors, and is a good plant for 
covering pergolas and trellises. 
The ever-blooming Japan honeysuckle 
(Lomcera Japonica ) is one of the most charm¬ 
ing plants to grow about a house, where its 
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