A Guide to Different Types of
Shrubs for Your
Garden...
Among the bewildering lists of shrubs,
certain names stand out as new and unusual, or,
on the other hand, tried and familiar. These
include both the evergreen and deciduous
types.
Rhododendron and azaleas (a type of
rhododendron) head the list of evergreens with
some 700 species. Hardy and long-lived, these
ornamental woody plants have flowers of all
shapes, colours and tints. Well-liked types are
the pink pearl, and the Rhododendron maximum,
with its large pinkish flowers. Hardy hybrid
species also are the Boule de neige (white);
the Abraham Lincoln and Lady Armstrong (pink);
the Everestianum (purple); and the Caractacus
(red).
Rhododendrons won\'t grow in limey soil, and
humus should be supplied liberally to protect
them from winter-burn. Azaleas thrive under the
same conditions as rhododendrons-that is, in
partial shade-and like rhododendrons in general
may be used for foundation planting; they do
well in thin woodlands. The Azalea Malus has
flowers in pastel shades of orange, yellow and
tan.
Boxwood has been a well-loved shrub for
generations, especially where winters are not
so severe. This evergreen can be pruned to
formal rounded shapes. Left to grow, it
sometimes attains 20 feet. It is used as a
shrub for paths and walks.
Euonymus paten is an evergreen shrub that is
hardy. It has glossy green leaves and red
berries. Some of the evergreen holly shrubs,
such as Japanese holly, or inkberry, are
popular. Japanese holly resembles boxwood.
Laurel is another familiar evergreen shrub,
valuable for foundation planting. American
mountain laurel bears clusters of pink flowers
in spring.
Pachysandra (Japanesespurge) is a dense
evergreen ground cover for places where grass
won\'t grow. Among the deciduous shrubs, lilac
is probably one of the best liked. If you buy
lilac be sure that it is grafted either on its
own stock or on privet stock. Plant lilac as
early as the soil can be worked.
The common lilac is the best known type and
has light purple flowers and reaches a height
of about 10 feet. There are several hundred
varieties, in white, pinkish-lilac,
reddish-lilac and bluish-lilac.
Buddleia, the butterfly bush, is 16 feet or
more if not killed back by winter, and gets its
name from the fact that in the summer,
butterflies are always seen around it. The
buddleia takes many forms: as a small - leaved
shrub with small purple flowers; as
fascinating, a cattleya-pink bush; as flaming
violet, a brilliant purple, and as white
profusion, a dwarf variety with pure white
flowers. Also the Empire blue shrub, the
dubonnet, the red glory and white cloud.
Flowering quince (Cydonia) has roselike
flowers and a scarlet bloom in spring. Japanese
quince grows to 6 feet; has orange-scarlet
flowers.
Deutzia is an easily grown shrub, pleasing
for the many small flowers in spring. Types
include the 2- to 3-foot pink deutzia, with its
delicate flowers; the pride of Rochester, with
large double white flowers, and Deutzia
Lemoinei, which has large, pure white flowers.
Other shrubs are the dwarf buckeye, which
blossoms in July with 12-inch spikes; the
chokeberry bush, liked for its decorative
fruit; broom, which grows in sandy places and
blooms in June and July, and witch hazel, a
shrub that grows to 20 feet and has spidery
yellow flowers.
Forsythia is a welcome shrub because it
needs little care; with its drooping sprays of
yellow flowers, it is useful for softening the
lines of walls.
Hibiscus blooms in August, a rarity, with
flowers that are large and purple, or rose-pink
or white. It grows to 12 feet if un-pruned.
Hydrangea, another shrub with large blossoms
blooming in July and August, is a showy bush,
with big blue globe-shaped clusters.
Honeysuckle bushes are useful for mass
planting. Some varieties are especially
enjoyable because they blossom in February and
March.
Several spirea varieties are found to be
useful as screen plantings, particularly
because of their dense growth and abundant
flowering. Anthony Waterer spirea is a 2-foot
bush with white or rose-pink clusters. Bridal
wreath has profuse white clusters in May.
Spirea Thunbergii also has white flowers,
and Spirea Vanhouttei, 8 feet high with dense
white flowers, is used as a living fence.
Viburnum (the popular snowball) is 10 to 12
feet high at maturity and is used for high
foundation, screening and hedges. It has white
snowball-shaped flowers and foliage turns
crimson in fall. Weigela is popular, too, in
many varieties, including the variegated
weigela, a dwarf shrub with rose flowers and
variegated silvery leaf. There is also Weigela
rosea, with rosy trumpet-shaped flowers, and
the new brilliant cardinal
shrub.
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