May 1, 150% 
HYDRANGEA. 
All ithe Hydrangeas have large showy ftowers 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
The best among the hardy kinds are 
the oakleavyed Hydrangea, a noble shrub, and the very familiar H. paniculata 
grandiflora. 
0) 
Hardy ajd Ornamental shrubse 
- How to Treat Them. 
Tn the ‘ Florists’ Exchange’ the follow- 
ing advice is given on this point by Mr 
8. C. Moon :— 
I will assume that we all understand by 
‘the term ‘hardy shrubs’ the class of 
perennial, bushy plants, deciduous and 
€vergeeen, though largely deciduous, 
which are used for ornamenting lawns . 
‘and gardens, Though most are of 
moderate size when planted, some of them 
‘eventually attain the proportions of small 
trees. The term ‘hardy’ will vary with 
the location of the planting, but will not 
Materially affect the suggestions here 
Presented. How to plant them will be 
‘Considered in a twofold light; first, the 
‘distribution and arrangement of the 
‘Plants on the lawn; second, the method 
of Setting the roots in the groand, 
— Planting in Masses Most Effective. — 
As a general rule the most effective 
way to plant shrubbery is in masses, with 
not too much variety in one group. 
Professor Bailey says: ‘The shrubbery 
masses should be placed on the bounda- 
ries, for it is fundamental concept of 
landscape gardening that the centre of a 
place should be open. In most plaees, the 
mass, or border planting, should be 
the rule, and the isolated specimens the 
exception; but, unfortunately the rule is 
generally reversed.’ It is easy to see 
conspicuous evidences of the truth of 
these stateme.ts in almost any suburban 
neighbourhood in examples of both good 
and poor arrangements. 
Many planters to think it 
desirable to have a well-developed plant 
of aa many varieties as can find accom- 
modation on the lawn in order that they 
may enjoy eaci plant individually as it 
seem 
7 
passes through its varying changes of 
foliage, flowering, fruitage,and leaflessness 
throughout the year. Such an arrange- 
ment may be appropriate for an arbore- 
tum or trial ground, and there are 
special charms in ‘such a collection of 
shrubs as each successfully comes into 
bloom. But asthe blooming period of 
most shrubs is only from two to four 
weeks, the beauty of foliage hues, both in 
the greenness of summer and autumn 
colourings, is an important consideration 
in arrangement of shrubbery groups. 
The introduction of bright colored 
foliage, such as golden elder or philadel- 
phus, variegated weigelia, purple leaved 
plum and barberry, &c, is occasionally 
done very effectively, but more frequently 
the result is a conspicuous blotch amid 
the verdure, The handling of bright 
colors always requires a high degree of 
artistic skill, or the result will be dis- 
pleasing to the most refined tastes, afford- 
ing valuable object lessons to the student 
and gardener, but it is not the way to 
produce the most effective results in lawn 
adornment. Z} 
To quote again from Professor Bailey’s 
essay on shrubbery: ‘ Plants scattered 
over a lawn destroy all appearance of 
unity and purpose in the place, Every 
part of the place is equally accented, 
The area has no meaning or indiyidu- 
ality. The plants are in the way, 
spoil the lawn, 
They 
The place is random,’ 
In large grounds the shrubbery border 
should be composed of successive masses 
of several plants of one species together, 
followed by another harmonious group of 
another sort, the border of the two groups 
interlacing with each other. -Let the 
transition from one variety to another be 
gradual—not too sudden—and the groups 
not too large or too exclusive. An odd 
plant, taller or different from the others, 
may occasionally stand out or above its 
companions very effectively ; of course , 
tall growers at thé back flanked. with 
smaller and low-branching species in the 
foreground. 
It is not advisable to mix evergreen 
and deciduous shrubs in the same group. 
A few shrubs seem to be admirably 
adapted for filling-in plants. Tamarix 
is one of these which may often be used 
