GROUPING SHRUBS

Otago Witness, Issue 4028, 26 May 1931, Page 11

GROUPING SHRUBS

. SUBJECTS TO ASSOCIATE. No garden that is planted in a haphazard fashion can be expected to give such lasting satisfaction as one upon which care and forethought have been bestowed. It is only by happy association of the various subjects employed that each can be made to display its full beauties. Conversely, careless grouping may be attended by the most unhappy results, colours being brought into close contact which clash with or kill each other, tall plants being placed in front of those of dwarf stature, and so on. Nowhere is this careful planning more essential than in those parts of the garden devoted to trees and shrubs. The permanence of these subjects demands that as satisfactory an arrangement as possible be mad from the outset, for alterations, once the occupants have become established, can only be made with difficulty. Before finally selecting the trees or shrubs for any group, the proposed varieties should be jotted down on a piece of paper with their colours, seasons of flowering, and heights. Then, with the aid of a rough sketch of the plot, it will be possible to ascertain what pleasing harmonies or contrasts can be obtained, and to detect any difficulties that are likely to arise. Many a scheme has gone awry owing to relying on colours only, and forgetting to take into account the flowering period of each subject, a matter of the greatest importance with trees and shrubs, as many do not last in perfection tor long. Height is apt to be a little deceiving, as shrubs differ so much in their rate of growth. For example, that beautiful winter-flowering shrub, Hamamelis mollis, may eventually attain to 20ft dr more, but it would take many years to do so. and is far more frequently seen as a compact bush of some 6ft or Bft. Hibiscus syriacus and Ribes sanguinea are two more well-known subjects that are seldom seen at more than about half their full height. On the other hand, quick-grow-ing shrubs, such as Buddleia variabilie and Leycesteria formosa, soon attain their maximum development. The novice should rely upon information given in the catalogues _ of reliable specialists and such practical hints as can be picked- tip from other gardeners, amateur and/professional. As a background for yellow and whiteflowered shrubs there are few more effective subjects than Corylus Avellana purpurea, the purple-leaved hazel. It is a robust shrub, and will thrive in any ordinary garden soil, being pruned into shape annually with impunity. The foliage is of a fine bronze-purple shade, and shows off light-coloured flowers to great advantage. Two fine evergreens for the same purpose are Osmanthus ilicifolius arid Eleagnus pungens aureo-variegata. The former has glossy dark green foliage, much resembling that of a holly, and forms the

ideal setting for scarlet and other brightlycoloured blooms. The eleagnus has frequently been described as the best of all variegated evergreens, high praise which is by no means unmerited. The leaves are a tine green, each relieved by a broad, irregular splash of golden-yellow down the centre. It is rather a slow-growing shrub, but will eventually attain 10 feet or I Jl l . ore > and > 9 worth waiting for. Where possible, it i fi advisable to devote a sheltered border, backed by a fence or wall, to shrubs which flower very early in the year. It is not that these, as a class, lack hardiness, ' but rather that their very precocity exposes their blooms to the inclemency of our winter, and their period of effectiveness is likely to be much curtailed unless some such precaution as that suggested is taken.

The wall may be effectively covered with such things as Azara microphylla, which produces small vanilla-scented flowers in February and has fine dark green evergreen foliage, the lovely blue-flowered Caenothtis Veitchianus. winter-blooming Jasminum nudiflorum, C.vdonia japonica, with cheerful pink or scarlet flowers, and red-berried Crataegus coccinea. In front of these will be Hamamelis mollis and others of its genus, sweetly-perfumed Lhimonanthus fragrans. Daphne Mezereum with its more richly-scented purple blooms, yellow-flowered Berberis japonica ‘Bealei, torsythias in.several delightful and freellowering varieties, and, if the soil be tree or lime, a selection of winter and spring-blooming heathers. Should there be room for one or two larger shrubs or small trees, -there are several suitable subjects available which will bloom at the same time as the other occupants of the border. These include the Cornelian Cherry (Cornug mas) with yellow flowers in February and pretty fruits later; Nuttallia cerasiformis, which has creamy-white blooms, strongly scented of almonds; Prunus subhirtella autumnalis or purple-leavod plum; the betterknowm P. cerasfera Pissardi, and almond. A.H., in Amateur Gardening.