Evening star., 1950-03-12
Farm and Garden
There Are Evergreens for Many Purposes
Keep Tall Ones Away From House
By Wilbur H. Younqmon
Serden Editor

Most of the narrow-leaf (needlel
evergreens can be divided into
three groups. The tree, such as
the pines, spruces and frs; the
taller growing kinds that may be
pruned and kept at a medium
height, such as the hemlock, yew
and the white cedar, and the
dwarfs, such as the yew. arbor-
vitae and the jumpers. I might
well add fourth class, the trailers,
such as the Sargent, Bar Harbor
and Savin's jumpers.
The gardener selecting ever
greens for foundation planting
must take this habit of growth into
consideration. OF course, soil,
moisture, sun and wind all play
important parts in the happiness
OF the living plants. But, no mat
ter how favorable the growing
conditions may be unless the habit
of growth is also considered, the
evergreen is not likely to maintain
good appearance and provide the
desired landscape effect.
Keep House Unshrouded.
Tall trees are not wanted in the
foundation planting. They will
soon hide the dwelling. Moreover
the pines, Spruces. frs and cedars
cannot be pruned sufficiently to
keep them dwarf enough for such
4 situation. Therefore, they should
be used as background paintings,
specimens. or as windbreak. In
this connection. note that pine.
cedar, spruce. fir, juniper, yew and
American arborvitae withstand
winds, while the hemlock and
white cedar Tetinospora) suffer in
exposed situations.
No doubt one reason that so
many OF these trees are put into
foundation paintings is that while
small and growing in the nursery
row they are not only attractive
but relatively inexpensive. If the
prospective buyer would only Wis
ualize them 8, 10, Is or 20
years hence he would never buy
them for foundation planting.
Some Can Be Cut Back.
The second group of ever
greens are strong growers that
may be pruned without injury.
although after a few years they
become more or less formal in
outline. Other than for hedge
purposes this group is OF greatest
interest to the small gardener
because they are comparatively
inexpensive and may be used in
the foundation planting for
number of years.
The third group. those Of lower
natural growth habit, are of the
greatest value in the foundation
paintings. The Japanese yew is
the best known in this group be-
cause it will thrive in sun or
shade, which none Of the others
will do. There are upright,
spreading, and dwarf forms of the
Japanese yew so it may be used
In many situations.
The aborvitae is q sun lover
but does not thrive especially we'll
In q hot, dry situation, particu-
larly where reflected heat from
the building is severe. Moreover,
the winter color of the arbor-
vitae is not all that is to be de-
sired. The American arborvitae
is generally more to be depended
upon than the oriental. Many
forms OF the arborvitae are avail
able at local nurseries-globe, COL
umnar and pyramidal describe
their habits of growth. Within
these types there are many named
varieties. differing in vigor, color
and form. All should be sheared
annually to maintain compact
ness and vigor.
jumpers Like 1t Hot.
The jumpers seem to thrive in
hotter. drier situations than the
other evergreens but are some
times difficult to establish unless
moved with their roots in a ball
OF earth. Even then, it may be
wisest to buy the smaller sizes
which do not suffer so much Of
shock when being transplanted.
The columnar juniper. COM
monty sold as the Irish juniper,