Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-04-08
|Use ShrubsInsteud of Hedges
Where Space Permits, Lower Growing
Plants Have Useful Purpose in Pattern

WHICH There Is all area peCWeeu
the house and the street.
The choice of planting material
for. the front yard shrub border
will depend upon several factors.
The size of the area will determine
to a considerable extent the height
to which the border should be
permitted to grow, A large yard
with the house 100 feet or more
from the sidewalk could use plant
material that would exceed 10
feet in height. whereas lot with
the house less than 100 feet from
the street might well use plants
that have mature height of 8
feet or less.
Use of Accent Trees.
The property that is shaded will
need plants which may be ex-
pected to thrive in such a situa-
tion-the rhododendrons. laurel,
azaleas, leucothoe, andromeda,
lockwood. etc. The sunny shrub
border will need to be chosen from
such sun-loving shrubs as Spirea,
mockorange.a lilac, deutzia, for
sythia, dogwood, etc. If the space
is on the dry side. that too will
have a bearing on the selection of
plant material! Plants adapted to
moist situations are even more
limited in number.
There should be tall accent
trees or shrubs for the ends Of the
border. with lower growing inter-
mediate "high-points" between
them. Lower growing shrubs will
carry the border down from these
taller growers along the outside of
the border as we'll as from back
to front. The smaller shrubs. or
perennials used in place of shrubs,
will carry the planting down to
the ground. All Of this relates to
mature height of the plant ma
terial chosen.
In addition. the selection of
plant material should also take
into consideration and such fac
tors as variation Of foliage, season.
round value of the plant, season Of
bloom, freedom from insects and
diseases and ease of care. The
larger the border, the more oppor-
tunity for a mixture of evergreens,
both broad and narrow-leaved,
and deciduous shrubs. However,
some care is necessary to effec-
lively mix evergreens and de-
ciduous plant material.
Hedge to Hide Branches.
Because of the habit of growth
of the taller plants likely to be
selected for the background of
the shrub border. in many cases
lit will be desirable to have some
kind Of q hedge or fence between
the border and the sidewalk or
street. This will hide the naked
ness Of the lower branches as well
las keep animals from frolicking
among the shrubs.
The design Of the shrub border
should begin with the choice of
the taller plants-trees or shrubs
which will form the accent
points. These may be small f1ow-
ering trees, perhaps even a holly.
The lower points might be select
ed from strong growing rhododen-
drons Tin the shady border or
lilacs, shrub althea, SNOWFALL or
similar plants. The bush honey
suckle Uonicera tartarica) might
appeal to some but it is such a
gross spreader it is likely to be
more of a nuisance than an asset.
The Maacki honeysuckle is taller
growing but not so widespread
ing. The same spreading growth
is typical Of the forsythia, in adj
dition forsythia does not have too
good a landscape value when out
Of bloom.
But even though these shrubs
have certain faults which make
them undesirable, in the finished
border they may be used tempo
rarily. In fact many gardeners
may find them useful pending the
purchase of more desirable per-
manent plant materials. In other
words, the shrub border should be
developed with care and the
actual planting may easily extend
over several years.
This is as it should be, for the
soil preparation and the securing
of the right plant for each part
of the border should be under
taken with care in order that the
finished product will insure the
maximum pleasure to the owner.