The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-01-31
PURCHASE OF HOME
STARTS THE GARDEN
MAN OWNING GROUND BEAUTTFIEs
1T QUICKER THAN DOES
RENTER
MAKES 1T PRODUCTIVE
CITY FoREsTERS TELL OF VALUE
TO COMMUNITY OF HAVING
HoME-owNERS-w or
SHADE TREES.

The purchase of home is the first
step in successful gardening, accord
ing TO city foresters appointed 10 pro-
mote the interests Of horticulture in
some Of the largest cities of the coun-
try a man will seldom plant shrubs
or bring rich soil for the garden plot
ON another mans property. But when
the laborer or salaried man. taking
advantage Of some good offer In real
estate. buys a home of his own. he
is Immediately inspired with the idea
of making II look as beautifnl as pos
sible He wants the garden 10 be pro-
Iductiee. too.
Every yard should be a. picture os
its own" writes J. II. FROST, city
forester, Chicago. Shrubs give the
best results when massed together.
When standing unattended by other
plants they seem lonesome and out OF
place. Consequently the yard lacks
character and harmony in treatment.
Open Lawn With Shrubs.
The central idea of yard. whether
it he front or back, when planted for
ornamental effect, Is the open lawr.
fringed with flowers. trees and shrahs
This makes an artistic garden though
the area be no larger than 30 feet
square
The shrubbery should be planted
to harmonic in height by placing the
taller shrubs in the rear with the
lower ones massed In front. The Sc
lection and massiug should be ar
ranged So as TO get harmonious color
effect in foliage, flowers and twigs.
For winter color effect the red dog
wood can be massed in front OF the
low growing, red-barl5ed willow. For
harmonious color effect in flowers the
spiraea Van Houttei masses well in
front Of the Persian lilac or .he mock
orange. For summer foliage effects
the snow berries harmonic adraira bly,
with the foliage OF the Tartarian
honey suckle. These and similar com
. blnations can he understood by be
coming familiar with the shrubs in
nurseries and parks
ParIslike Streets.
The pla ating OF shrubs UP against
house adds greatly To its architec-
tural beauty and give the street a
parkiike appearance. With the taller
shrubs in the rear against the house
and the smaller one below in masses,
the lawn in front becomes united "a
+ the house. Avoid planting groups OF
shrubs in strait lines. Arrange them
In irregular masses. Before planting
spade up the entire area Of the bed
shrubs should not be planted in holes
fetal To take UP the sod and use II
for patching the lawn. II you find
the bare earth Objectionable to your
sense Of beauty. plant a few annual
flowers like the phlox, petunia. pink
verbena or pansy for temporary
covering.
Shrubs from two or three feet high
are most desirable for the small city
lot They can be planted close tc
gether for immediate effect. They car
easily he thinned IN after years The
large one though, should be planted
three feet apart.
Don't Use Iron Dogs
1T Is poor taste to put iron dogs
and vases or tubs in the yard Use
the money 10 provide flower boxes foI
windows. and entrances. The plantinl
of geometrical Gamma for geraniur
beds with castor beans in the center
is also primitive and spoils the com.
position of the yard.
! The best tall-growing shrubs for
planting III the city are dogwoods. al.
thea or rose Of Sharon. Tartariar
honeysuckie mock orange common
elder. ninebark spiraea, lilacs. tama
rix amurensis, virburnum opuius lem
tag and lentana; medium growers
weigelia roses spiraea Van Houttei
ribes aureum, lgustrun. ibota, Japan
ounce. drangeas. golden elder, snow
berries, matrimony vine.
The value of shade trees In dollars
form an interesting article In Amer
lean Forestry. The cash value Of the
trees of Ann Arbor. Mich. one Of the
prettiest college town in the United
= StatcS,-ts- estimated -s3aa7 aea -
4 Never Think of Cash Value.
How many people know what a
shade tree Is worth 80 SAYS the writer
How many ever give thought To its
value. Its grateful shade IS enjoyed
it's beauty is appreciated. both in "A
general sense. but few perhaps ever
stop to think of its actual cash value
Perhaps this Is never brought home
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