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:
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