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Trees and Shrubs for Flowering Effects

possible, the summer-flowering types of trees and shrubs. For this reason, various groups have been outlined to embrace trees and shrubs producing flowers in the early spring before the leaves appear, and producing flowers in the early spring after the leaves appear, such as the spirea and the lilac; producing flowers during the summer months, such as the weigela and the mock orange; and producing flowers during the late summer and autumn months, such as the rose of Sharon and the hydrangea. It is therefore important in connection with our various plantations of trees and shrubs to consider specifically the period during the blooming season, when the maximum effect of flowers is desired.

The second important consideration, in designing plantings of trees and shrubs, is the colour of the flowers. Flowering trees and shrubs, with respect to the colour of their flowers, may be divided into four definite groups: those which produce flowers in the shades of red and pink, such as pink-flowering dogwood, flowering peach, and the flowering crab; those which produce yellow flowers, such as the Scotch broom, yellow jasmine, and the golden bell; those which produce white flowers, such as the white fringe, hawthorn, hydrangea, and elders; and those which produce blue flowers (the smallest list of all), such as the blue spirea, blue rose of Sharon, and blue lilacs. Each of these groups may be divided, as shown by the tabulations, into earlyflowering and late summer-flowering sorts. The entire discussion concerning the colour of the flowers in the average planting is more theoretical than practical; but in the other plantations, where there is sufficient space to obtain masses of flowering effects during the blooming period, considerable study should be given to the colour of the flowers.

The small home owner in general is much more interested in his ability to procure trees and shrubs which will give him a continuous succession of bloom. This also is not always practical; but there is a group of standard shrubs, the use of which will provide as continuous bloom as can be obtained through the combination of any group of shrubs. It must be remembered that some varieties of shrubs will flower at a slightly later period than other varieties, and for this reason it is quite possible to obtain what seems to be a continuous series of bloom. The most prolific blooming shrubs, however, seem to flower during the months of May and June. During the latter part of July we have but a few shrubs, such as the hydrangea, the rose of Sharon, and the groundsel tree, which will produce flower effects.

LIST OF TREES AND SHRUBS FOR DIFFERENT FLOWERING EFFECTS A. PRODUCING FLOWERS IN EARLY SPRING BEFORE THE LEAVES APPEAR. The trees and shrubs included in this group produce, when in bloom, a very interesting colour note in a landscape which has been uninteresting during the winter months. Most of these plants produce their best effect when used in small masses; their effect in large masses is increased only in proportion to the extensiveness of the landscape setting in which they are planted. Many interesting colour effects can be produced by the proper selection of plants from this group.