Evening star., 1947-08-10
Improving Foundation Planting
Unexpected Growth of Close.Set Greens
Creates Many Horrible Examples
By Donald M. Coll

lines do not tend to bring the house
down" or make it look lower. In
fact they are apt to do just the re-
verse. Taller growing plants should
be used to break large expanses of
wall, or to compensate for rapid
changes in grade. Frequently the
grade at one corner of a house is
considerably lower than that at the
other. The use of tall plant (even
small tree) at the lower corner, by
appearing to raise the grade, will
give more pleasing and balanced
effect to the planting as a whole.
Not Too Many Varieties.
In selecting the plants it should
be kept in mind that the fewer
kinds that are used the more eff
fective the planting will be. Two,
or at the most three, varieties are
sufficient in most instances and
some very charming effects can be
produced by using only one kind of
plant-possibly in two contrasting
sizes or specimens.
Although evergreens are naturally
preferred for foundation planting,
it is often possible to combine them
with some deciduous material. The
number of low-growing deciduous
shrubs is very limited but there are
many medium and taller growing
ones that may be used to good
advantage.
Generally speaking, there are
three classes of plants that may be
used in foundation planting. One
is the class of plants that, because
OF their natural habit of growth,
will never get tall enough to
obstruct the view from even low
first floor windows. The second
class, which should not be used
under low dows, includes
medium height plants and plants
that can be kept within reasonable
bounds by pruning without Destroy
ing their appearance or natural
habit OF growth. In the third class
are plants that will be used deliber-
ately to give height where it is
wanted.
Various desirable plants In these
three classes, but by no means all,
are listed:
windows. Figures in parentheses indi,
Buxus surruticosa Is 5fSHdi; English Box.
Taxus cuspidata 90 Japanese View
Taxus brevifolia a. Pacific Yex.
=, lex crenata convexa az conyexleaf
Kalmia Iatifolia (5) Mountain Laurel.
Leucothoe catesbaei a. Dropping Leu
Peiris horibunda 90 Mountain pieris
y, Juniperus chin. sarsenti 90 Sargent
Juniperus chin. pntzeriana 90 Phtzer
Mahonia aauifolium 80 ooregonsrape
Cotoneaster horizontalis 80 Rock Cot
Cotoneaster microphylla ta) Rockspray
Cotoneaster.
Abelia Erandifora. (6l Glossy Abelta.
Deutzia gracilis' 90 Slender Deutzia.
.Jasminum nudihorums a. Winter Jas
Berberis thunbergii. tbl Japanese Bar
Ligustrum regelianum' a. Regels
Azalea: varieties Of Japanese Ever
green Kurume) or Chinese Azalea (mol-
lis), macrantha or amoena may be used
Because Of its rosy-purple bloom, Azalea
brick buildings.
Mediuhm Height Plants Don't use
Buxus semperyirens uo) Common Box.
A7alea ledifolia (6) A.kaempferi (s)
Hex crenata i10-i2) Japanese Holly.
Hex cornuta burfordi (s) Horned Holly
LEX glabra (6) Inkberry.
Hex aquifolium 90 or more) English
Holly.
;, osmanthus aauifolis (s) Holly osman-
thus.
Ligustrum lucidum 10 Glossy Privet.
Rhododendron catawbienss (s) catawba
:, Rhedodendlon earolinianum te) Caro-
Pieris japonica (e) Japanese Pieris.
Taxus lYewl many tall growlng-I
cotoneaster francheti' (e, Franchet
Pyracantha cocclnea. (s> Scarlet Fire.
aast kosa hasans nssIis: rssi1sn ssshsr Iss Huso
Philadelphus virsinsl' ts> virginia.
p. spirea prunifolia' (0 Bridslwreath
Spirea.
Tsuga canadensis Control by shearing) |
Canada Hemlock.
Ame4fcae lsS eDffs Tol,y' (need' plenty Of 'Daoe'
Ligustrum iaponicum "a or more)
Japanese Privet
Rhododendron maximum G2) partial
shade) Rosebay Rhedodendron !
Pyracantha coccinea lalandi Q5) La
land Firethorn.
Lagerstroemia indica' do) Common
Crapemyrtle.
; ,syringa japonica' t2o) Japanese Tree
Syringa vulgaris' uO Common Lilac
Philadelphus coronarius* (9) Sweet
Mockorange.
Crataegus cordata' c. oxycanthas Haw-
thorn.
Malus horibunda' tsee note) Towering
Crabapple.
Cornus florida (see note) Flowering
Dogwood
Cercis canadensiss (see note) Redbud
Albizzia julibrissin' (see note) silktree
(Mimosa).
Eeagnus angust!folia' tses note) Rus
sian Olive.
Nofa. Ia 81 al