In general, trees and shrubs are planted and cared for in the same way, the difference between them being chiefly one of height. One definition of the difference, how­ever, is that while a tree has only one trunk, a shrub has several stems or trunks.

Not so long ago the number of reliable shrubs was quite limited, but today the many new hybrids have lengthened the list and the gardener's choice is almost endless. No matter the region, it is now pos­sible to plant shrubs that will sat­isfy color needs, bloom at various seasons, cover bare spots where grass won't grow, or grow in such profusion and depth that screening purposes are served.

Shrubs are valuable to the gar­dener because they bridge the gap between trees and flowers. As do trees, they serve as boundary markers, soften the lines of buildings, act as a decorative background for flower beds and hide unsightly views. Like flowers, they add char­acter and shape to the garden, blooming forth with colorful blos­soms and attracting birds with their berries. One big item in their favor is that they mature rapidly, yet re­main as hardy and long-lived as trees.

Planting and Care

Planting of shrubs is tittle dif­ferent from planting of trees. Early spring is the most favorable time since it gives the plant a long spell of good growing weather to get re­established. In the milder sections of the country, however, transplant­ing may be done through the winter months. In New England, ever­greens may be planted in Septem ber and May, and deciduous shrubs in October and May.

Dry roots are the chief cause of planting failures, and steps should be taken to prevent this—i.e., ball­ing and burlapping, and heeling in. After receiving shrubs from a nur­sery, water as soon as possible; shade them from sunshine at first, mulch the ground around them, and prune back severely. The older the plant you get, the more severely it will have to be cut back, so that in the long run, you come out just as well buying the less expensive, smaller shrubs. Forsythia and azalea may be moved while in flower, but most plants should not.

Watering in the fall, before the ground freezes, is important for box, azalea, rhododendron, moun­tain laurel and broadleaf ever­greens, whose leaves lose moisture in winter.

Pruning of shrubs helps to keep them young and vigorous. Rather than cutting all branches off to an even length, prune out the older branches, even though they may be sound. With lilacs, for example, use a keyhole saw, and cut as close to the ground as possible, cutting out the oldest stems. Some shrubs need pruning every year, especially those which have dead branches as a result of winterkill. (These in­clude some deutzias, hydrangeas, buddleia, spireas and privets.) Other shrubs such as rhododend­ron, azaleas, magnolia and buddleia should have the flower heads pruned off after blooming.

Types of Shrubs

Among the bewildering lists of shrubs, certain names stand out as new and unusual, or, on the other hand, tried and familiar. These in­clude both the evergreen and de­ciduous types.

Rhododendron and azaleas (a type of rhododendron) head the list of evergreens with some 700 species. Hardy and long-lived, these ornamental woody plants have flowers of all shapes, colors and tints. Well-liked are the pink pearl, and the Rhododendron maximum, with its large pinkish flowers. Hardy hybrid species also are the Boule de neige (white) ; the Abraham Lincoln and Lady Armstrong (pink) ; theEverestianum (purple) ; and the Caractacus (red). Rhododendrons won't grow in limey soil, and humus should be supplied liberally to protect them from winter-burn.

Azaleas thrive under the same conditions as rhododendrons—that is, in partial shade—and like rho­dodendrons in general may be used for foundation planting; they do well in thin woodlands. The Azalea malus has flowers in pastel shades of orange, yellow and tan.

Boxwood has been a well-loved shrub for generations, especially where winters are not so severe. This evergreen can be pruned to formal rounded shapes. Left to grow, it sometimes attains 20 feet.

It is used as a shrub for paths and walks. Euonymus patens is an ever­green shrub that is hardy. It has glossy green leaves and red berries. Some of the evergreen holly shrubs, such as Japanese holly, or inkberry, are popular. Japanese holly re­sembles boxwood.

Laurel is another familiar ever­green shrub, valuable for founda­tion planting. American mountain laurel bears clusters of pink flowers in spring.

Pachysandra (Japanesespurge) is a dense evergreen ground cover for places where grass won't grow. Among the deciduous shrubs, lilac is probably one of the best liked. If you buy lilac be sure that it is grafted either on its own stock or on privet stock. Plant lilac as early as the soil can be worked. The common lilac, which has light purple flowers and reaches a height of about 10 feet, is the best known. There are several hundred varieties, in white, pinkish-lilac, reddish-lilac and bluish-lilac.

Buddleia, the butterfly bush, is 16 feet or more if not killed back by winter, and gets its name from the fact that in the summer, butter­flies are always seen around it. The buddleia takes many forms: as a small - leaved shrub with small purple flowers; as fascinating, a cattleya-pink bush; as flaming vio­let, a brilliant purple, and as white profusion, a dwarf variety with pure white flowers. Also the Empire blue shrub, the dubonnet, the red glory and white cloud.

Flowering quince (Cydonia) has roselike flowers and a scarlet bloom in spring. Japanese quince grows to 6 feet; has orange-scarlet flowers.

Deutzia is an easily grown shrub, pleasing for the many small flowers in spring. Types include the 2- to 3-foot pink deutzia, with its delicate flowers; the pride of Rochester, with large double white flowers, and Deutzia Lemoinei, which has large, pure white flowers.

Other shrubs are the dwarf buckeye, which blossoms in July with 12-inch spikes; the chokeberry bush, liked for its decorative fruit; broom, which grows in sandy places and blooms in June and July, and witch hazel, a shrub that grows to 20 feet and has spidery yellow flowers.

Forsythia is a welcome shrub because it needs little care; with its drooping sprays of yellow flow­ers, it is useful for softening the lines of walls.

Hibiscus blooms in August, a rarity, with flowers that are large and purple, or rose-pink or white. It grows to 12 feet if unpruned. Hydrangea, another shrub with large blossoms blooming in July and August, is a showy bush, with big blue globe-shaped clusters.
Honeysuckle bushes are useful for mass planting. Some varieties are especially enjoyable because they blossom in February and March.

Several spirea varieties are found to be useful as screen plant­ings, particularly because of their dense growth and abundant flower­ing. Anthony Waterer spirea is a 2-foot bush with white or rose-pink clusters. Bridal wreath has profuse white clusters in May. Spirea Thunbergii also has white flowers, and Spirea Vanhouttei, 8 feet high with dense white flowers, is used as a living fence.

Viburnum (the popular snow­ball) is 10 to 12 feet high at matur­ity and is used for high foundation, screening and hedges. It has white snowball-shaped flowers and fol­iage turns crimson in fall.

Weigela is popular, too, in many varieties, including the variegated weigela, a dwarf shrub with rose flowers and variegated silvery leaf. There is also Weigela rosea, with rosy trumpet-shaped flowers, and the new brilliant cardinal shrub.

Unsightly street scenes can be fenced out in a subtle way by combining materials. Planting, stone, and bamboo rise to effective height on this front property line without seeming overbearing.

Hedges

A hedge that is well kept and attractive can do much for your grounds. Used in the front of the house and on the sides of your lot, hedges are a barrier against traffic, noise and all things unsightly; at the same time they enhance the pro­portions and general appearance of your house and lawns. And within the boundaries of your property, hedges define paths and walks, deedgings) and the colorful fruit and-nut hedges of thorn apple, hazlenut, cherry, beach plum, cranberry and quince. And, of course, there are the formal clipped hedges. Of these, the Amur privet is by far the most widely used. In fact, the privet is used so universal­ly that it is original to choose any of the above for hedging.

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