CHAPTER VI: GARDEN PLANTS

NOT only does the plant world furnish us with all the multitudinous products that we have already noticed, but it makes possible the beautifying of our homes and parks. For with plant materials, anyone with the knowledge and taste necessary for work of this kind may paint living landscape pictures that grow in beauty as their individual units reach maturity.

It lies outside the scope of this book to tell you the principles of design upon which such landscape pictures must be based to be really effective—that is the function of the landscape architect. But every one of us knows when a house looks and is bare of vegetation about it, and consequently has the earmarks of being merely a house, but not a home. A walk through any suburb of a large city or through most of our American villages would convince the lover of gardening that we are still miles behind England and many other countries in the love and appreciation of that kind of beauty in our home surroundings which plant life alone can furnish. How unnecessary this is anyone can see by visiting certain distinguished exceptions to the general indifference to plant life about our homes. Such suburbs as Brookline near Boston, Garden City and Morristown near New York, Guilford at Baltimore, Germantown near Philadelphia and many places on the Pacific Coast show what can be done to transform an otherwise indifferent landscape into a beauty spot. While these are on the whole the homes of the wealthy, money is not what has made them, for thousands of cottage gardens in England are just as beautiful and have been made by people who live a busy industrial life, but whose desire for beautiful surroundings makes them spend their brief leisure in tending their flowers.

While large garden schemes demand somewhat expert advice as to their planning and arrangement, it is perfectly simple for anyone to begin planting his own home grounds if he has in his mind’s eye the ultimate picture which he wishes his house and garden to become. But the habits of plants, their growth requirements, their stature, and particularly their colors are so various that, with the best will in the world, a garden enthusiast without some knowledge of these things will get a wholly disappointing result. Certain plants will grow in some sections of the country, but fail in others; some flower in the south, but will not do so in the north, and a few set seeds in certain places, but never do in less favored regions. In the different sections of this chapter a few good garden plants will be noted according to the regions to which they are suited, but it must not be forgotten that some are suited also to other regions than the one in which they are listed.

Those who have read the earlier chapters already know the difference between annuals, biennials, and perennials which comprise all the herbaceous plants upon which we depend mostly for cut flowers and in large measure for giving color to the garden. The woody plants are the ones upon which most garden pictures depend for their permanent value—trees, shrubs and vines of infinite shape and foliage character. In the case of trees, there are two major classes, those that drop their leaves in fall and are therefore deciduous, and of value chiefly during the growing season; and the evergreens, which retain their foliage all the year and make winter landscapes of great beauty. The garden enthusiast will very soon learn that evergreen plantings, while in many ways the most beautiful, are much the most expensive and are never suited to regions near big cities, for they will not stand smoke and other fumes as many deciduous trees will do. Nor will they stand violent winds, small rainfall, and great summer heat such as characterize the central parts of the country. Their best development is therefore found east of the Mississippi and west of the Rockies, and generally speaking, their use in the garden should be confined to this region.

Plant Materials for the Garden

TREES

So much of what makes landscapes permanently beautiful depends upon trees that first place must always be given to them in any scheme of planting. The location and ultimate spread of these trees will infallibly make or mar any garden picture so that great care should be used in selecting and planting them. The actual planting details such as preparation of the soil and all the after care of plants cannot be dealt with here, but many nursery catalogues give accurate directions and there are hosts of books on the practice of gardening which give the necessary information. In listing the different trees, symbols will be put before the names, indicating in which region they are likely to grow best, as follows:

* Suited to the region east of the Mississippi and north of the frostless region of the Gulf States, but not all hardy in the northern part of United States and adjacent Canada.

** Suited to the same general region, but most at home in the northern part of the area.

Those that have no symbol before the name are understood to be, generally speaking, hardy throughout the country, with, of course, exceptions such as the desert and alkali regions of the country.

EVERGREENS

* |

White Pine, Pinus Strobus.

| | * |

Austrian Pine, Pinus Austriaca.

| | * |

Scotch Pine, Pinus sylvestris.

| | * |

Pitch Pine, Pinus rigida.

| | ** |

Red Pine, Pinus resinosa.

| | * |

Umbrella Pine, Sciadopitys verticillata.

| | * |

White Fir, Abies concolor.

| | ** |

Fraser’s Fir, Abies Fraseri.

| | * |

Nordman’s Fir, Abies Nordmanniana.

| | * |

Norway Spruce, Picea excelsa.

| | ** |

White Spruce, Picea alba.

| | ** |

Red Spruce, Picea rubens.

| | * |

Koster’s Blue Spruce, Picea pungens glauca.

| | * |

Engelmann’s Spruce, Picea Engelmannii.

| | * |

Juniper. Different species of the genus Juniperus, mostly low growing and suitable for ground covers.

| | * |

Japanese Cypress, Retinospora obtusa. There are many garden varieties.

| | * |

Southern Cypress, Taxodium distichum. Not hardy in the northern part of the area. Best in wet places.

| | * |

Lawson’s Cypress, Chamæcyparis Lawsoniana.

| | * |

English Yew, Taxus baccata.

| | ** |

American Yew, Taxus canadensis.

| | * |

Hemlock, Tsuga canadensis.

|

Of these the Austrian pine, hemlock, and the firs have the densest foliage and should be used for such effects. Almost nothing will grow under the evergreen trees, so close is their foliage. Lack of light and the acid leached out of their bark by rains, stop the growth of nearly all herbs underneath them.

DECIDUOUS TREES

Planted mostly for their foliage masses, but a few bear showy flowers and such will be noted. The same symbols apply.

* |

American Beech, Fagus ferruginea.

| | * |

European Beech, Fagus sylvatica.

| | * |

White Oak, Quercus alba.

| | * |

Red Oak, Quercus rubra, the most rapid grower of all the oaks.

| | * |

Scarlet Oak, Quercus coccinea.

| |   |

Horsechestnut, Aesculus Hippocastanum.

| | * |

Norway Maple, Acer platanoides.

| | * |

Red Maple, Acer rubrum. Prefers moist places.

| |   |

Sugar Maple, Acer saccharum.

| | * |

Silver Maple, Acer saccharinum. Fine tree with interesting branching, but brittle.

| | * |

Tulip Tree, Liriodendron tulipifera. Showy orange-green flowers.

| | * |

American Plane Tree, Platanus occidentalis. A native tree, but not so satisfactory as

| | * |

Oriental Plane Tree, Platanus orientalis.

| | * |

Sweet Gum, Liquidambar styraciflua.

| |   |

White-leaved Poplar, Populus alba.

| |   |

Balsam Poplar, Populus balsamifera.

| | * |

Flowering Plum, Prunus Pissardi and many other varieties and species of the genus Prunus such as Japanese Flowering Cherries and Plums.

| | * |

American Elm, Ulmus americana.

| | * |

English Elm, Ulmus campestris.

| | * |

Maidenhair Tree, Ginkgo biloba. Not hardy in the northern part of the area.

| |   |

Black Locust, Robinia Pseudacacia. Showy pink flowers.

| |   |

European White Birch, Betula alba.

| |   |

Black Alder, Alnus glutinosa.

| |   |

Ash, Fraxinus americana.

| | * |

Dogwood, Cornus florida. Showy white bloom. Tree will not grow well unless in partial shade.

| | * |

Cornelian Cherry, Cornus Mas. Covered with yellow flowers before the leaves come out in early spring.

| | * |

European Hornbeam, Carpinus Betulus.

| |   |

Weeping Willow, Salix Babylonica.

| |   |

Box Elder, Acer Negundo.

| | * |

Magnolias. Different trees and some shrubs of the genus Magnolia all with showy flowers. Rather tender and cannot be grown without considerable care, especially when young.

| |   |

Honey Locust, Gleditsia triacanthos.

| |   |

Catalpa, Catalpa speciosa. Showy flowers.

| | * |

Paulownia imperialis. Showy flowers, but not hardy in northern part of the area.

|

There are many other deciduous and evergreen trees that might be listed and which will be found in the nursery catalogues of dealers in different parts of the country. Some of these require special conditions of soil and climate and should not be planted unless these conditions are understood. In the frostless region of the country many plants can be grown that are of tropical or near-tropical origin, but no list of them will be included here. Some of them are hardy as far north as Washington, D. C., and are worth trying by anyone living in this region, as they give us effects not possible with the trees noted.

SHRUBS

While trees make the major feature of any garden, shrubs are chiefly used to fill in between them, or in small gardens the only woody plants that can be used are often shrubs. Within the last two or three years the Government has prohibited the importation of plants from abroad, upon the ground that various insect pests and fungous diseases were likely to be carried into the country upon such plants. For this reason American gardeners will have to propagate their own plants and we shall have to use more native plants than European and Asiatic species, which made up the bulk of our gardening material in the past.

There are excellent reasons for using native shrubs upon quite other grounds than the difficulty or danger of importing foreign ones. Native plants fit into the natural landscape better than introduced sorts, and very often the garden enthusiast can go out into the country and dig out small specimens instead of buying them.

In the list of native American shrubs given below, there are directions of where to use them, their heights, their flower color and other information about them that will help the amateur gardener to select his shrubs for definite effects. All of the shrubs listed can be gown in most parts of the country, and from the list nearly every wish of the garden planner may be gratified. This list is a practical one and has been used by landscape architects and others. It was written by the author for “The Garden Magazine” whose publishers, Doubleday, Page & Company, have kindly allowed its use here.

It will be noted that under each month group the names are arranged in botanical sequence so that allied plants are brought together. All the ninety-four species are offered for sale in American nurseries. Those in the column “Remarks and Notes” as well as about twenty others not included, must be collected in the wild.

A word now as to cultivation and care. Most of the shrubs, except those so noted, can either be planted in the spring or fall, as this is a matter that should be determined by the planter’s convenience. In digging the holes make them twice as wide and deep as the size of the roots apparently demand. Note carefully the column “Preferred Habitat,” so that the shrubs may find congenial surroundings. Pack the soil well around the roots, water thoroughly, and frequently if the weather is dry and windy. The first winter or two a heavy mulch of leaves, or leaves and manure mixed, to be dug in the following spring, will well repay the expense and trouble.

It will be noted that some of the shrubs are marked with an asterisk (*). These all belong to the heath family and require special treatment. A soil composed of rotten sods and leafmold, about half and half, is most essential for the successful cultivation of these plants. They require peculiar acid soil conditions well approximated by the above mixture, and a mulch, preferably of red-oak leaves, or the leaves of the mountain laurel if available. Never disturb the roots of these plants by digging in the mulch, which is better left on indefinitely. Soils with much lime in them must also be avoided when growing these heath-family plants.

It is often somewhat difficult in arranging a shrubbery planting to group the plants according to the color of their flowers. For the greater ease in using the larger table, and so that one can arrive at the relative frequency of the various colors desirable for use in the scheme, the following table is appended. The numbers refer, of course, to those in the table below. The figures given in parentheses are the total of plants in each division.

By color of flowers. Yellow-green (10): 1, 8, 9, 10, 30, 31, 36, 44, 49, 86. Brown-green (10): 2, 3, 4, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 27, 39. Yellow (5): 5, 25, 41, 84, 92. Pink-purple (4): 7, 74, 75, 83. White (35): 6, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 28, 29, 32, 40, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 51, 55, 57, 58, 59, 69, 70, 71, 72, 76, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 88, 89, 90. Green-white (11): 16, 23, 33, 50, 52, 63, 64, 65, 66, 87, 94. Pinkish-white (10): 26, 37, 38, 54, 56, 61, 67, 73, 77, 93. Pink (5): 34, 60, 62, 85, 91. Lilac (1): 35. Violet-purple (2): 48, 68. Orange-red (1): 53.

It often happens, too, that we have some definite spot, such as a small stream or swamp, a dry hill-side, or a shaded wood, that we wish to beautify. Therefore:

By preferred habitat of shrubs. Moist places (19): 1, 2, 4, 9, 15, 17, 30, 36, 42, 50, 75, 78, 82, 83, 84, 85, 87, 88, 89. Indifferent (32): 3, 5, 6, 7, 12, 14, 24, 29, 32, 35, 37, 38, 41, 43, 45, 47, 48, 51, 52, 59, 60, 61, 62, 68, 70, 71, 72, 79, 80, 81, 90, 91. Shaded woods (13): 8, 16, 23, 25, 26, 27, 31, 63, 65, 67, 69, 74, 92. Dry places (19): 10, 13, 18, 20, 21, 22, 34, 39, 46, 49, 53, 54, 56, 58, 64, 77, 86, 93, 94. Swamps (6): 11, 40, 55, 66, 73, 76. Thickets (1): 19. Cool woods (4): 28, 33, 44, 57.

In planning a screen for an unsightly fence or building, or to cover up some small landscape importunity, it is often essential to know, en masse, the heights of shrubs for such purposes. The following table gives the dimensions of the shrubs, normal individuals averaging about midway of the extreme heights given.

By height of shrubs. One to four feet (13): 2, 6, 21, 27, 34, 56, 62, 75, 77, 83, 84, 91, 93. Two to five (24): 10, 11, 13, 16, 22, 25, 31, 36, 37, 42, 44, 53, 57, 60, 61, 65, 67, 69, 73, 81, 82, 85, 90, 94. Three to nine (29): 3, 4, 8, 12, 14, 15, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 33, 35, 38, 39, 41, 43, 45, 48, 54, 58, 59, 70, 72, 74, 78, 80, 86, 88. Six to fifteen (21): 1, 5, 7, 18, 19, 29, 40, 46, 47, 49, 50, 52, 55, 64, 68, 71, 76, 79, 87, 89, 92. Ten to eighteen (7): 9, 23, 24, 30, 51, 63, 66.

PLANTING TABLE FOR OUR NATIVE SHRUBS[3]

Common and Latin Names Height (feet) Color of Flowers Preferred Habitat Remarks and Notes
Flowering in MARCH-APRIL
1. Pussy willow (Salix discolor) 7-12 Yellow-green Moist places Flowers before the leaves come out. S. cordata, a larger bush, with broad leaves is worth cultivating. Not in the catalogues.
2. Dwarf willow (Salix tristis) 1-4 Brown-green Moist places Useful in masses. Can be made to grow in all sorts of places. One of the very earliest flowering shrubs.
3. Hazelnut (Corylus americana) 3-6 Brownish-green Indifferent[4] Nuts edible much gathered by the squirrels, The catkins out before the leaves. European hazelnut is a better plant.
4. Alder (Alnus rugosa) 5-9 Brownish-green Moist places Will grow in other situations. The fruits, not very strong, will stay on all winter. Useful in masses along brooks.
5. Spice bush (Benzoin odoriferum) 6-15 Yellow Indifferent Flowers much before the leaves, very fragrant, Near N. Y. usually not over 10 feet, larger southward.
6. Red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) 2-4 White Indifferent Common from N. Y. southward. A. atropurpurea, with black fruit is worth while. A. arbutifolia has red fruit.
7. Red bud (Cercis canadensis) 4-15 Pink-purple Indifferent Magnificent masses of color before the leaves appear. Sometimes almost a tree. Rare as a wild plant, but easily cultivated.
8. Fragrant sumac (Rhus canadensis aromatica) 3-8 Yellowish green Rocky woods Will grow in unlikely places and an excellent shrub for wild effect. Flowers half hidden by compound leaves.
APRIL-MAY
9. Shiny willow (Salix lucida) 10-18 Yellow-green Low places Will grow almost anywhere. S. myrtilloides a shrub 3½ feet, not in the trade, is handsome with yellow catkins.
10. Prairie willow (Salix humilis) 3-6 Yellow-green Dry places Will grow almost anywhere. Flowers out much before the leaves. Useful only in mass effects.
11. Sweet gale (Myrica Gale) 3-6 Incons-picuous Swamps and bogs Ash colored fruits effective all winter. Will grow in many other situations besides the preferred one.
12. Bayberry (Myrica carolinensis) 3-8 Not showy Indifferent Grows equally well in sand loam, or swampy places. Leaves shining green, long persistent. Fruits whitish; all winter.
13. Sweet fern (Comptonia asplenifolia) 3-5 Golden-brown Dry hillsides Golden catkins very showy before the leaves. Whole plant very fragrant. Can be grown almost anywhere.
14. Beaked hazelnut (Corylus rostrata) 3-6 Brown-yellow Indifferent Along streams it makes effective screens and borders. The long beak quite distinct from No. 3. Occasionally 8 feet.
15. Hoary elder (Alnus incana) 4-9 Greenish-brown Moist places Leaves pale green beneath. With Nos. 3, 4, 14 and 89, it can be used effectively along shores of streams and ponds.
16. American black currant (Ribes americana) 3-5 Green-white Shaded woods R. lacustre and R. rubrum, the latter with reddish purple flowers are very fine. Neither in the trade.
17. Juneberry (Amelanchier Botryapium) 5-12 White Moist places As individual plants very shapely, but rather ungainly in close formation. A. spicata (1-4 ft.) good, but not in the trade.
18. English hawthorn (Cratægus Oxyacantha) 5-15 White Dry hillsides The May. Much cultivated and now run wild. The American C. rotundifolia common on L. I. and N. J., but not for sale.
19. Scarlet thorn (Cratægus coccinea) 5-15 White Thickets The closely related C. Mollis, with scarlet fruits is effective in autumn. Not in the catalogues.
20. Dwarf thorn (Cratægus uniflora) 2-8 White Dry sandy place Quite indifferent as to locality when cultivated. C. macracantha with long spines is often 10 to 15 feet. Not in the trade.
21. Beach plum (Prunus maritima) 1-4 White Sandy places Fruit makes excellent jelly. Very successful near the sea. P. cuneata better grown near moist rocks.
22. Sand cherry (Prunus pumila) 3-6 White Dry places Splendid in masses or small hillocks. Will grow in almost pure sand. P. Gravessii not in the trade.
23. Prickly ash (Xanthoxylum americium) 6-18 Green Shaded places Will also grow in ordinary garden soil. The large compound leaves give splendid foliage effects.
24. Bladder nut (Staphylea trifolia) 6-20 White Indifferent Usually about 10 feet in our latitude. The showy pods stay on most of the winter. Flowers not showy.
25. Leatherwood (Dirca palustris) 2-5 Yellowish Shaded places In masses under trees or along shaded walks it is most welcome. Useful in a shaded rockery.
26. Pinkster flower (Azalea nudiflora) 2-7 Pinkish-white Shaded wood[5] A blaze of color when planted in masses with other Azaleas. Can also be grown successfully in the open.
27. Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum) 1-4 Purple-green Dry woods[5] Flowers not showy, but purple fruits are attractive. Best not disturbed or transplanted after setting out.
28. Red-berried elder (Sambucus pubens) 3-10 White Cool woods Easily grown in the garden but most successfully under trees or along the north side of the house.
29. Black haw (Viburnum prunifolium) 5-18 White Indifferent After becoming a small tree. A magnificent snowy shrub in the spring. Fruits black.
MAY
30. Silky willow (Salix sericea) 6-15 Yellow-green Moist places With the other willows useful for filling in low moist places. Leaves ashy beneath. Catkins showy.
31. Wild gooseberry (Ribes Cynosbati) 3-5 Greenish-yellow Rocky woods Better grown in the shade and in rich soil. The bristly fruits are odd persistent features of this shrub.
32. Black chokeberry (Aronia nigra) 3-8 White Indifferent Shiny black fruit stays on until December or January. Somewhat scraggy, except in masses.
33. Mountain holly (Ilex monticola) 4-10 Greenish-white Cool shade Flowers not showy but the red fruits showy all the autumn. Do not attempt to grow in hot, dry places.
34. Blue huckleberry (Vaccinium vaccillans) 1-4 Pink Dry soil[5] The profusion of tiny bell-like flowers appearing with the leaves makes this attractive. Fruits purple-black.
35. Common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) 4-10 Lilac Ordinary garden soil Cultivated everywhere and sometimes escaped from gardens. There are scores of attractive hybrids and forms.
36. American fly honeysuckle (Lonicera ciliata) 2-4 Greenish-yellow Moist woods Easily grown in ordinary garden soil, but prefers shade. Best planted along shaded walks.
37. Fly honeysuckle (Lonicera Xylosteum) 2-6 Pinkish-white Indifferent Sometimes an escape from cultivation. The scarlet berries are showy in the early fall.
38. Tartarian bush honeysuckle (Lonicera Tatarica) 3-8 Pinkish-white Indifferent L. oblongifolia with purplish-yellow flowers in May and June is attractive. Not in the catalogue.
MAY-JUNE
39. Chinquapin (Castanea pumila) 5-8 Brownish-green Dry soil Apt to be affected with the chestnut blight. The long catkins and fruit are interesting but not showy.
40. Magnolia (Magnolia glauca) 4-10 White Swamps and bogs Can also be grown very well on dry ground and in any garden soil. Fruits rose red.
41. Common barberry (Berberis vulgaris) 3-8 Yellow Common garden soil Often an escape from cultivation. The well-known scarlet berries showy in autumn.
42. Virginian willow (Itea virginica) 2-4 White Moist places When massed either alone or with Clethra alnifolia it makes attractive patches of white.
43. Syringa (Philadelphus coronarius) 4-10 Cream-white Indifferent Many horticultural forms of this are in the trade. All are useful. Fruits brownish.
44. Fetid currant (Ribes prostratum) 3-6 Greenish-yellow Cool moist places Not easily grown as it grows naturally on the cool mountain slopes. Fruits red.
45. Opulaster (Spiræa opulifolia) 3-9 White Indifferent Splendid masses of flowers, as it is a profuse bloomer. Often from 3-6 feet wide and very bushy.
46. Cockspur thorn (Cratægus Crusgalli) 6-14 White Dry soil One of the most commonly cultivated of our native shrubs. Very thorny and a good hedge plant.
47. Pear haw (Cratægus tomentosa) 4-12 White Indifferent The dull red fruits cling on most of the winter. A profusely flowering shrub.
48. Bastard indigo (Amorpha fruticosa) 4-10 Violet-purple Rich soil A gorgeous flowering shrub, which in masses is unrivaled. Repays good cultivation and care.
49. Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) 6-15 Green Dry places Autumnal coloring magnificent. On a low hill very effective in large masses.
50. American holly (Ilex opaca) 6-15 Greenish-white Moist woods Best transplanted in the spring, when all the evergreen leaves should be knocked or clipped off.
51. Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) 8-16 White Indifferent This and No. 52 both European shrubs that have run wild in this country. Neither is showy in flower.
52. Alder buckthorn (Rhamnus Frangula) 4-11 Greenish-white Indifferent Its natural home is in swamps and bogs, but generations of garden culture has made it at home.
53. Flame azalea (Azalea calendulacea) 2-7 Orange-yellow Dry woods[5] The showiest of all our native shrubs. Not very common in the wild state.
54. Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) 4-10 Red Dry woods[5] In masses under the shade of trees a wonderfully effective shrub. Prefers rich soil.
55. Swamp huckleberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) 6-15 Pinkish-white Swamps and wet woods[5] Flowers not very showy, but the fruits are the finest of the tribe. Will not tolerate dry places.
56. Low blueberry (Vaccinicum Pennsylvanicum) 1-4 White Dry or sandy soil[5] Often grows in almost pure sand in the pine-barrens. Neither flower nor fruit showy.
57. Hobble bush (Viburnum alnifolium) 3-6 Pinkish-white Cool, moist shade The outer circle of flowers in each cluster very much larger than the inner. Does not like hot places.
58. Dockmackie (Viburnum acerifolium) 3-8 White Dry woods Looks like a small maple tree. Useful as it will grow almost anywhere. Fruits black.
JUNE-JULY
59. Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) 4-9 White Indifferent Thoroughly hardy and often easier grown than the more showy exotic species.
60. Meadow rose (Rosa virginiana blanda) 2-4 Pink Indifferent Along paths and roadsides it scrambles everywhere with apparent cultural indifference
61. Sweetbrier (Rosa rubiginosa) 3-6 Pinkish-white Indifferent Well repays good treatment when it often becomes a bushy shrub 4 to 5 feet in diameter.
62. Pasture rose (Rosa humilis) 1-3 Pink Indifferent The beautiful large petals very evanescent. It can be best grown in a moist place. Showy.
63. Water ash (Ptelea trifoliata) 6-18 Greenish-white Shade Flowers inconspicuous but the compound leaves make it a good foliage plant. Wood very brittle.
64. Black sumac (Rhus Copallina) 5-15 Greenish-white Dry places The large compound leaves a beautiful scarlet in the autumn. Profuse bloomer and fruits persistent.
65. Inkberry (Ilex glabra) 3-6 Greenish-white Moist woods The more rare I. mucronata of swamps is interesting botanically but must be collected from the wild.
66. Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) 6-18 Greenish-white Swamps Splendid scarlet fruits cling on in large clusters most of the winter. Often easily grown in the garden.
67. Strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus) 3-7 Greenish-pink Low woods Flowers small and inconspicuous but followed by red fruits that last until December. A slender plant.
68. Burning bush (Euonymus atropurpureus) 8-15 Purple Indifferent European shrub much cultivated and now widely established as a wild plant. Fruits red and showy.
69. New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus) 2-6 White Shade Effective as massed plantings. The leaves the source of tea in Revolutionary times. A profuse bloomer.
70. Kinnikinik (Cornus Amomum) 3-10 White Indifferent Purple twigs effective in winter. The reddish-twigged C. asperifolia effective but not on sale.
71. Red osier dogwood (miscalled kinnikinik) (Cornus stolonifera) 3-12 White Indifferent Twigs reddish-purple; and fine in masses for its winter color harmonies. Easily grown from cuttings.
72. Cornel (Cornus alternifolia) 3-10 White Indifferent The bright green twigs which keep their color all winter make it attractive grouped with Nos. 70 and 71.
73. Swamp honeysuckle (Azalea viscosa) 3-6 Pink and white Swamps[5] Rather shy of dry places but easily replaced in such places by the A. canescens, which must be collected.
74. Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum) 4-18 Rose-white-purple Woods[5] Old plants, almost treelike, should never be disturbed. Be careful to nip all fruits as soon as they appear.
75. Sheep laurel (Kalmia angustifolia) 1-3 Purple-crimson Low, moist places[5] The rare K. glauca, not in the trade, is very much worth while. Neither is happy in open dry places.
76. Leucothoe (Leucothoe racemosa) 5-12 Cream-white Swamps[5] The glossy practically evergreen leaves make an effective winter showing. Can be grouped with Nos. 74, 77 and 78.
77. Staggerbush (Pieris Mariana) 1-4 Pinkish-white Sandy soil[5] Isolated plants are apt to be sprawling, but when massed the delicate flowers make attractive patches of color.
78. Privet andromeda (Xolisma ligustrina) 4-9 White Moist places[5] Leaves partially evergreen, and dark glossy green in color. A profuse bloomer with persistent fruits.
79. Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) 5-15 White Indifferent In large clusters most effective as a screen. Will grow very well along a stream or pond. Fruits “mussy.”
80. Cranberry bush (Viburnum Opulus) 3-12 White Indifferent Profuse masses of flowers and large clusters of scarlet berries make it most useful all the year.
81. Withe rod (Viburnum nudum) 2-8 White Indifferent The C. pubescens of rocky woods equally good but not offered for sale. Fruits blue-black.
82. Appalachian tea (Viburnum cassinoides) 2-8 White Moist places V. Lentago with black fruits useful, but must be collected. Leaves of V. cassinoides glossy and dark green.
JULY-AUGUST
83. Hard hack (Spiræa tomentosa) 1-4 Pink-purple Low ground The ashy underside of the leaves, contrasted with the pinkish-purple flowers is a novel combination.
84. Shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa) 2-4 Yellow Moist places One of the yellow-flowered shrubs that are used. Sometimes winter-kills near New York.
85. Swamp rose (Rosa Carolina) 4-7 Rose-colored Moist places Can also be successfully grown in ordinary garden soil, well manured. Flowers soon withering in open sunlight.
86. Smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) 3-12 Greenish Dry places Grouped with Nos. 49 and 64, it gives a wild touch to the landscape. Autumn color gorgeous.
87. Hercules’s club (Aralia spinosa) 6-15 White Low ground Large compound leaves 3 to 4 feet long, make this the foliage plant par excellence. Flowers inconspicuous.
88. Sweet pepper bush (Clethra alnifolia) 3-8 Cream-white Low ground Fragrant flowers followed by persistent fruits, a sturdy habit and bushy outline make this a favorite.
89. Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) 5-15 Cream-white Moist places Best not attempted much away from water, and in such situations often becoming almost treelike. Flowers fragrant.
90. Snowberry (Symphoricarpos racemosus) 2-6 White Indifferent The flowers are not showy but the conspicuous white berries stay on all winter, thus valuable for winter effect.
91. Coralberry (Symphoricarpos vulgaris) 1-4 Pink Indifferent Much like the preceding but the red fruits are not so persistent. Forms a wide-spreading bush.
SEPT.-DEC.
92. Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) 5-15 Yellow Moist shade Flowers later than any other native shrub, often after all the leaves have fallen off, and the first frost arrives.
93. Heather (Calluna vulgaris) 1-2 Pinkish-white Sandy places Rather shy in its few American localities. Near the coast from Massachusetts to southern New Jersey it should do well.
94. Groundsel tree (Baccharis halimifolia) 2-5 Whitish-green Dry soil Best transplanted in the spring as its late flowering makes autumnal activity too great for easy transplanting then.

Rhododendrons and azaleas, hundreds of varieties of which are known and admired by all garden lovers, are mostly derived from Asiatic species, and under the new law have become rare and expensive in this country. A few American nurserymen are able to propagate them so that we can still get plants of these showiest of all shrubs. They should not be used in regions where there is scant rainfall, very hot summers, high winds or extreme winters. Their use is practically confined to the region east of the Alleghenies.

GARDEN HERBS

The foregoing lists of shrubs and trees give sufficient information so that all garden enthusiasts can at least make the broad outlines of a garden picture. It must never be forgotten that these woody plants are the only really permanent things in the scheme and should therefore be placed with more care and thought than the herbs, which can be moved at will. In selecting herbs, two chief divisions of them should be kept in mind; annuals which are planted for quick effects and which die down at the end of the year, and perennials which live year after year and produce flowers usually after the second year. It is from perennials that the great bulk of our fine garden plants are derived. Planted in beds or better yet among shrubbery or on shrub-backed borders they are the most beautiful and most satisfactory of all herbaceous plants.

Most of them may be started from seed in August of any year and grown along through the balance of that growing season, after which they should be covered up with straw or manure. The following season at least three-quarters of them will flower and by their third season all of them will do so.

COLOR, SEASON, AND HEIGHT OF HARDY PERENNIALS

A study of the following list will show any garden amateur how he may group his perennials in borders or beds and how he can get different color effects at different seasons and in plants of different heights. This admirable list of perennial plants was prepared by Charles Downing Lay, a landscape architect, and published by “Landscape Architecture.” The editors of that publication and Mr. Lay have kindly consented to having the list reprinted here.

Pink White Yellow Orange Red Blue Lavender Purple April May June July August September October 6 inches 1 foot 2 feet 3 feet 4 feet 5 feet 6 feet
—— Achillea Ptarmica fl.-pl., The Pearl —— —— ——
—— Millefolium, Cerise Queen —— —— — —
— — Aconitum autumnale. Monkshood — — — —
—— —— —— —— Althæa rosea. Hollyhock ——
—— Alyssum saxatile compactum. Golden Tuft ——
—— Anchusa italica var. Dropmore. Alkanet — — — —— —
——     sempervirens. Alkanet — — — —
—— Anemone japonica. Japanese Windflower — —— —— — ——
——     japonica, Queen Charlotte. Japanese Windflower — —— —— — ——
—— Anthemis tinctoria. Marguerite — — — —
—— —— Aquilegia Helenæ. Columbine — —— — — ——
—— ——     canadensis. Columbine — —— — —— —
——     chrysantha. Columbine — —— — — —
—— —— ——     formosa hybrida. Columbine — —— — —— —
——     haylodgensis. Columbine — —— — — ——
——     vulgaris nivea grandiflora. Columbine — —— — —— —
—— Arabis alpina. Alpine Rock Cress — — —— —
—— Armeria plantaginea. Sea Pink — —— ——
—— Artemisia lactiflora. White Mugwort — — — ——
—— Asclepias tuberosa. Butterfly Weed — — — ——
— — Aster alpinus. Alpine Aster — — ——
—— —     novæ-angliæ. New England Aster — — — ——
— —     tataricus. Late-blooming Aster — —— —
—— Thomas S. Ware — — — —
—— Baptisia australis. False Indigo — — — ——
—— —— Bellis perennis. English Daisy — — ——
—— Boltonia asteroides. False Chamomile — —— —— — — —— —— ——
— —     latisquama nana. Dwarf False Chamomile — —— —— — —
—— —— Campanula carpatica. Carpathian Harebell — —— — ——
—— —— —— Medium. Canterbury Bells (Biennial) — — — —— —
—— ——     persicifolia grandiflora. Peach Bells — — — —
—— ——     pyramidalis. Chimney Bellflower —— — — —
——     rapunculoides —— — — —— —
—— Centaurea montana. Mountain Bluet — —— —— — — ——
—— Cerastium tomentosum. Snow-in-Summer — —— ——
—— —— —— —— —— Chrysanthemum, Hardy Pompons — — — —— —
——     maximum — —— —— —— —
—— Clematis heracleæfolia (C. tubulosa) — — — —
——     recta. Herbaceous Clematis — — — —
——     integrifolia. Herbaceous Clematis — —— ——
—— Convallaria majalis. Lily of the Valley — —— ——
—— Coreopsis lanceolata grandiflora. Tickseed — —— —— — — —
— — Delphinium belladonna. Larkspur —— —— — — —
——     formosum. Larkspur —— —— — — —
—— —— Delphinium grandiflorum chinense., Larkspur — —— ——
—— — — Kelway’s Hybrids — — —— —— — —
—— Dianthus barbatus. Sweet William — — — —
——     barbatus, Newport Pink — — — —
——     barbatus, Scarlet Beauty — —— — — —
——     plumarius. June Pink, Clove Pink —— — —
——     plumarius, Mrs. Sinkins —— — —— —
——     plumarius, White Reserve —— — —— —
—— Dicentra eximia — —— —— — — —
——     spectabilis. Bleeding-Heart —— — — —
—— —— Dictamnus Fraxinella. Gas Plant — —— ——
—— —— Digitalis purpurea. Foxglove — —— — — —— —
——     sibirica. Siberian Foxglove — —— — — —
—— Doronicum plantagineum excelsum. Leopard’s Bane —— — — —
—— Echinops humilis. Globe Thistle —— — — —— —
—— Erigeron macranthus. Flea Bane — —— —— —
—— Eryngium amethystinum. Sea Holly — —— — —
—— Eupatorium cœlestinum. Mist-Flower — —— — —
— — Filipendula hexapetala. Meadow Sweet — — — —
—— Funkia Fortunei. Day Lily —— — — —
——     lancifolia. Day Lily — — — —
—— ——     ovate. Day Lily — — — —
——     subcordata grandiflora. Day Lily —— —— — —
    variegata. Day Lily — —— — — —
— — Gaillardia grandiflora. Blanket Flower — —— —— — —
——— Gypsophila paniculata. Baby’s Breath ———— —— ——
———     paniculata fl.-pl. Double-flowering Baby’s Breath —— —— —— ——
——     repens. Creeping Baby’s Breath —— ——— ————
——— —— Helenium autumnale. Sneezeweed —— ——— —— ——
——— Helianthus moltis. Woolly Sunflower ——— — —
———     orgyalis. Tall Sunflower —— ——— —— ———
———     rigidus, Miss Mellish ——— — —— ———
——— Maximilianii. Late-flowering Sunflower —— ———— —
——— Hemerocallis Dumortieri. Dwarf Day Lily — —— —— ——
———     flava. Yellow Day Lily —— — —— ——
——— Florham. Giant Day Lily —— — —— ——
———     fulva. Tawny Day Lily ——— — —— ——
———     fulva var. Kwanso. Double Orange Lily ——— —— —— ——
———     fulva, Gold Dust —— — ———
——— Thunbergii. Japanese Day Lily —— — — —
—— Heuchera brizoides. Hybrid Coral Bells —— — —— ——
——     sanguinea. Coral Bells —— — —— ——
—— ——— Hibiscus militaris. Marsh Mallow ——— ——— — ——— ——
—— ——— Moscheutos, Mixed. Marsh Mallow ——— ——— —— ——— ——
—— Moscheutos, Giant Red. Marsh Mallow ——— — —— ——— ——
——— Iberis sempervirens. Evergreen Candytuft —— — —— —
———— Iris cristata. Dwarf Blue Iris — — ————
——     germanica. German Iris —— —— ——— ———
—— ——— —— ———— —— Kaempferi. Japanese Iris —— — —— —
——— ——— —— Kniphofia Hybrids. Red-Hot-Poker Plant —— ——— ——— ——
—— —— Lespedeza. Japanese Bush Clover — — — —
—— Liatris pycnostachya. Blazing Star — —— — —— —
——     epicata. Gay Feather — —— — —— —
—— Lilium candidum. Madonna Lily —— ——
— —     tigrinum splendens. Tiger Lily —— — ——
—— —— —— Lupinus polyphyllus. Lupine — — ——
—— Lychnis Flos-cuculi plenissima semperflorens. Campion — —— ——
——     chalcedonica. Campion —— — ——
—— —— Haageana. Campion —— — ——
—— —     viscaria. Campion — — — —
—— Lycoris squamigera. Fragrant Spider Lily —— — ——
—— Megasea cordifolia. Saxifrage — —— — —
—— Mentha piperita. Peppermint — —
—— Monarda didyma. Oswego Tea —— — ——
—— Myosotis palustris semperflorens. Everblooming Forget-me-not —— — ——
—— Œnothera fruticosa, Youngli. Evening Primrose — —— — — —
—— Opuntia vulgaris. Prickly Pear —— ——
—— Pæonia, Couronne d’Or — — ——
—— Delachei — — —— —
——     delicatissima — — —— —
—— — Duchesse de Nemours — — —— —
—— Felix Crousse — — —— —
——     festiva maxima — — —— —
—— Mme. Crousse — — —— —
—— Queen Victoria — — — —
—— Pæonia, Richardsen’s Dorchester —— — —
——     rubra superba —— —— —
—— ——     sinensis, Mixed — — —— —
—— Triomphe de l’Exposition de Lille — — —— —
—— —— —— Papaver nudicaule. Iceland Poppy — —— —— — —
——     orientale. Oriental Poppy —— — —
—— Paradisea Lillestrum. St. Bruno’s Lily — — — —
—— Penstemon barbatus Terreyi. Scarlet Beardtongue — — ——
—— Polygonatum giganteum. Solomon’s Seal —— ——
—— Phlox paniculata, Baron Van Dedem — —— —— — ——
——     paniculata, B. Comte — —— — ——
— —     paniculata, Beranger — —— — ——
——     paniculata, F. G. von Laseburg — —— —— ——
——     paniculata, Independence —— —— —— — ——
——     paniculata, Rheinlander —— —— — — —
——     paniculata, Von Hochberg — —— —— ——
——     suffruticosa, Miss Lingard — —— —— —— — —
——     subulata alba, Moss Pink — —— ——
——     subulata lilacina — —— ——
——     subulata rosea — —— ——
— — Physalis Franchetii. Chinese Lantern Plant — —— — ——
— —— Physostegia virginica. False Dragonhead — —— — —
——     virginica alba. False Dragonhead — —— — —
—— —— Platycodon grandiflora. Balloon-Flower — —— ——
—— —— —— —— Primula veris. English Primrose — —— —— —
—— —— —— Pyrethrum roseum — —— ——
—— Ranunculus acris fl.-pl. Double-flowered Buttercup — — — —
—— Rudbeckia laciniata. Golden Glow —— —
——     purpurea. Giant Purple Coneflower — — ——
—— Sagina subulata. Pearlwort — — ——
— — Salvia azurea grandiflora. Meadow Sage —— — ——
—— —     pratensis. Meadow sage —— — ——
—— Sedum acre. Stonecrop — — ——
——     spectabile. Stonecrop —— — — —
—— Silphium perfoliatum. Cup plant —— —
—— Spiræa (Astilbe) Arendsii, Ceres — — ——
—— Statice latifolia. Great Sea Lavender — —— ——
—— Stokesia cyanea. Cornflower —— —— — — —
——     cyanea alba. White Cornflower —— —— — — —
—— Tradescantia virginica. Spiderwort — —— ——
——     virginica alba. Spiderwort — —— ——
—— Trollius europæus. Globeflower — —— — — —
— — Valeriana officinalis. Garden Heliotrope —— —— ——
—— Veronica longifolia subsessilis. Blue-Jay Flower —— —— — — —
——     amethystina. Speedwell —— — ——
——     longifolia. Japanese Speedwell —— —— ——
—— Viola cornuta alba. Tufted Pansy —— —— —— — ——
——     cornuta, G. Wermig. Tufted Pansy — —— —— — ——
—— Violet, Double Russian —— — ——
—— Yucca filamentosa. Spanish Bayonet —— — — ——

ANNUALS

For those who prefer growing flowers merely to pick, the quickest way of getting them is to plant summer-blooming annuals. A list of thirty popular annuals, all of them easily grown, is given below.

BLOOMING IN JULY

Lavatera Lavatera trimestris
Clarkia Clarkia elegans
Large-flowered Godetia    Œnothera Whitneyi
Early Cosmos Cosmos bipinnatus
Sweet Alyssum Alyssum maritimum
Marigold Tagetes patula
Nicotiana Nicotiana alata
Sander’s Nicotiana Nicotiana Sanderæ
Arctotis Arctotis grandis
Stock, gillyflower Matthiola incana var. annua
Annual larkspur Delphinium Ajacis
Bedding Lobelia Lobelia Erinus
Wishbone flower Torenia Fournieri
Phacelia Phacelia congesta
African marigold Tagetes erecta
California poppy Eschscholtzia californica
Giant tulip Hunnemannia fumariæfolia
Annual Gaillardia Gaillardia pulchella
Scarlet sage Salvia splendens
Youth-and-old-age Zinnia elegans
Rose moss Portulaca grandiflora
Balsam Impatiens balsamina
Painted tongue Salpiglossis sinuata

BLOOMING IN AUGUST

Gilia Gilia capitata
Three-colored chrysanthemum    Chrysanthemum carinatum
Mourning bride Scabiosa atropurpurea
China asters Callistephus chinensis
Everlasting Helichrysum bracteatum
Didiscus Trachymene cœrulea