Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-07
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES 3. TRAcEwELL.

Have you noticed the barberry hedges
this Autumn?
Not in years have they glowed with
such q deep rich color.
Everywhere these plants, whether
used in hedges or az individual spect-
mems, are Of the same color.
Small and large plants are equally
red.
Long rows on big estates, small on
small grounds, each hedge Is the same
as its fellow, easily the most conspicu-
Gus thing on the horticultural land
scape.
It always has been hobby of some
gardeners to note the seasonal enectS
upon various plants and to attempt 70
| figure out why some Of them DO better
one year than another.
In the past there have been some
gorgeous lilac years" in washington.
The writer can recall seven or eight
years ago, when every bush in the Ma
tional Capital was loaded with BIOS
SONS Of exceptional size and fragrance.
Two years ago roses did particularly
well. Upon other occasions the iris
nourished to an unusual degree; upon
still others the peony, queen OF Spring
flowers, loaded gardens with bloom and
fragrance. Some Springs the old faith
/
\ y \
This Fall it Is the barberry which has
come into its own.
| Many who have never been particu-
larry enthusiastic about this hedging
material will be glad Of it, for it shows
them that its enthusiasts were not mis-
taken, after all.
The California privet and the
Japanese barberry have been waging a
neat contest between themselves in
American gardens and home grounds
| Tor many years now. Usually the privet
in one Of its forms, has won. This
hardy hedge may be trimmed so neatly
that it appeals to more homeowners
than the somewhat sprawly barberry.
Yet the latter has its good points, one
| of them being its freedom from the
necessity for clipping all the time. Once
planted, the barberry more or less takes
care Of itself: Another drawback to the
privet, which Is no fault Of that
| It with some gardeners, is its tendency
| to grow "leggy'' unless cut back severe
| " the first two years after planting.
Every one has seen privet which
seems to grow high OF the ground
| forming q thin, unhealthy looking hedge
| in sharp contrast with the beautiful
, thick hedge of neighbor: The diff
ference arises because Tic IOTKleT WA
permitted to grow at will, without be-
| ing cut back, whereas the latter was
kept about foot high for at least two
years. This caused the bushes to senc
out lateral branches low down, so thai
! when finally permitted to grow of it,
own sweet will, the hedge became
naturally thick and luxuriant.
\ \ \
The drought may have had some
| thing to do with the fine color Of the
barberry hedges this Autumn, although,
as far as one can note, the plants In
areas where sprinkling was permitted
are no brighter than those in communi-
| ties where a water ban was in effect the
I greater part Of the Summer.
This fact would seem to rule out
then, the drought as q cause. Perhaps
| it would be better to say that the dry
spell, not yet broken, did not hurt the
| plants, as far as one can tell. It did not
In other words, prevent them from
DOMINIC their finest Autumnal robes
So much is certain. One may not fee
sure enough to say that it did. in itself
help to create these gorgeous colora-
| tons.
It may be that the barberry puts or
! added color at this time as q sort Of
| protest against Nature for her extreme
| ly dry mood. Those who work witt
| plants, even in a small way, would be