Evening star., 1930-06-21
BY KENNETH r. BoYNToN.

HEAD Gardener, New YORK Botanical Garden.
Places not roomy enough for pines
SpruceS and frs can accommodate
small or dwarf evergreenS. Plants used
in such manner are becoming increas-
ingly familiar to suburban dwellerS
through their use in foundation plant
ingS. But in the smaller cities, where
the need for more Winter color is
greatest, there are few plants of such
types and pretentious paintings in
groups are rarely seen.
AS an example consider the most
beautiful of dwarf evergreenS, the dwarf
japanese yew. From seed and from
cuttings many thousand plants are
grown each year, but these attractive
evergreenS are seldom noticed except
in the big estates and in foundation
paintings around suburban homes. The
dwarf Japanese yew Is noted for the
deep. warm green which the thousands
of short leaves give to its spreading
rugged branches. As plants become
older they spread out, but never get so
tall that all of the plant Is visible in
Winter from house view.
The short view of columnar shape, so
desirable in making variation from the
outlines of f1atter plants, has been
sought for many years by nurserymen.
The beautiful Irish yew, which has
furnished popular upright evergreens
for milder climates than ours. has not
proved hardy here. There are some to
be found in gardens, but one cannot
plant them in quantity with any GER
tainty that they will thrive and main
tain a uniform shape and rate of
growth so necessary for most formal
paintings.
Originates Yew Strain.
Henry Hicks, Long Island horticul-
turist, has originated a strain of the
japanese yew which is hardy, upright
and OF rich green. The use of Hicks
yew enables us to make Winter color
plantations entirely of yew, using dwarf
Japanese for the fat and the Hicks for
the erect effects. The procumbens and
repandens varieties of the English yew
are soft in outline and foliage and
adapted to a limited space, and are
somewhat harder than other forms of
that species, generally too tender in
our climate. They are happy in any
Winter greenery group.
jumpers are most useful evergreenS
They are certainly hardy. Almost every
shape of small evergreen, in almost
every shade of foliage, can be had by
using jumpers. One of the most salts
factory from every standpoint for the
small garden is the Pfitzer juniper. The
low, spreading branches are clothed
With blulSh-green foliage which never
seems to burn or to Winterkill. The ap-
pearance of the plant Is always good
and 1t grows as rapidly as any other.
Next to the dwarf Japanese yew this
Is perhaps the best dwarf evergreen.
There are places for thousands of them
In every community. For those who
prefer lower and more slender varieties
the creeping juniper, an American
Of lnyry kVoil lg,,-. \ .IosA
planting in rocks or as q covering for
banks and terraces. The PROSTATE
juniper, with dense branches Of foliage
which color up in Winter, is also used
for such places. This also Is good for
rockerieS, for banks and for planting in
front OF low evergreens or shrubs as
an edging. If near lawns, care must
be taken to cut grass carefully under
the spreading branches so as not to in
1ure the growing tips.
Upright jumpers Numerous.
Upright forms of the jumpers are
numerous. The silver red cedar, which
Is glaucous variety of our native red
cedar juniper, is widely used for ac-
cent. The habit is narrow and colum-
mar, the foliage rich blue-green. It
Is harder and free from attacks OF the
red spider. Other upright varieties of
the native juniper are the canuart and
the Schott red cedars. These are mar
row, more pyramidal, and both green as
contrasted with the blue Of the silver
red cedar.
The Chinese juniper is rather ragged
in our climate. The Irish juniper is
strictly upright and formal, but not
hardy enough TO warrant general plant
ing. The dwarf Swedish Juniper is
compact and almost round, small
enough to be used in Winter window
boxes or in rockeries and foundation
edges. Where a rugged blush green
ground cover is wanted the squamata
juniper is favorite. This reaches out
long stiff branches. One plant event.
ually will cover a patch of poor grass
or rocky ground
Arbor-vitae is one Of the older culti-
waited evergreens. Native species in