SE OF EVERGREENS 
Evergreens have long been recognized by the home owner as the 
best type of plant for use in the foundation planting. The front of 
the house should always look its best, and the evergreens are the 
only source of year-around foliage to soften the architectural lines of 
the house. The narrow upright forms are the best accents available for 
calling attention to the good features of the house. They may be 
used to frame the doorway or to repeat the vertical line of a corner 
or chimney. Plants of irregular form can be used to advantage to ob- 
scure or hide bad architectural features such as the concrete foundation, sides of steps, vents, etc. The 
low spreading forms will tie the entire planting together as well as cover the bases of the taller 
plants; thereby giving them an air of stability. Contrasting or striking color can add emphasis to 
some feature of the house while the foliage color of the majority of evergreens will blend together in 
soft harmony. It is no coincidence that the home owner uses evergreens to blend the house into a uni- 
fied picture of lawn, shrubs, trees and house—his home. 
Evergreens make excellent specimen plants. A specimen is set 
apart in the open lawn where it can develop its true symmetrical 
form and where it can add beauty and dignity to the home. Use 
specimen plants to frame or balance the home or landscape plant- 
ing. Firs, Spruces, Pines, American Holly and evergreen Magnolias 
are all useful as tall-growing specimens. 
The desirability of evergreens for hedging, screening, border, 
background and windbreak can scarcely be overrated. A Yew 
hedge, for example, compares with one of Privet like a Matisse 
compares with calendar art. Evergreens shear well and one may 
have either a loose, informal hedge or a tight-knit wall of green. 
One may maintain an edging of a few inches or a wall or screen 
several feet high. 
Privacy and climate-control are two requisites of the modern 
home planting. An evergreen screen assures privacy 12 months 
of the year and provides control of wind and air movement at all 
seasons. Such a screen also does an amazing job of filtering out 
traffic dust and noise. 
Actually, the screen, windbreak, background and border plant- 
ings are usually combined in one. Evergreens provide a matchless 
background for flowering trees, shrubs and perennials and for 
the lawn. 
Hugh Steavenson ex- GROWN 
amining Colorado 
Spruce grown from 
12-in. plants furnished aeeG 
by him several years 
earlier. 
[4] 
