Shrubs.
—Any nursery catalogue will give a wilderness of shrubs from which a good selection may be made. But the discerning road gardener will take advantage of the native plants and not only preserve them but so arrange them along the roadside as to give unity and variety to a complete stretch of road. We notice the large trees because their size thrust them upon us, but we are likely to overlook the smaller plants or think of them simply as weeds to be got rid of. The native wild plants are all too fast disappearing. Practically the only places where they may now be found are along the highways and the railways, and in the farther forests where the cattle have not yet trampled them out. The road man who has a love for nature in his heart will take interest in preserving for future generations, that they may know what this land looked like before the hand of man changed it for better or for worse, these narrow strips of natural loveliness. Then let the graceful wild flowers and the sturdy shrubs be a connecting link between the sordid interests of man, symbolized by the hard, hard pavement and the boundless breadth of God’s goodness exemplified by the abundance in the vast outspread of fertile fields and the deep and reverent dignity of the mighty forest.
If nature’s wild flowers and shrubs are selected there will be no need of artificial fences and pergolas for support or straw and hay covering in the winter thus losing to the passerby at least one-half the pleasure that Nature herself can furnish. Nature is liberal and will furnish artistic pleasure the year around if given a reasonable opportunity to do so.
Alder.—The green or mountain alder (Alnus virdis), 3 to 8 feet tall. Also A. incana, a little larger—8 to 20 feet. Adapted to damp soils.
Barberry.—Plant only the Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) as the common variety has been convicted of carrying the spores of wheat rust. The barberry has slender graceful branches with fine bright green foliage. Small yellow flowers in June with berries turning scarlet and remaining on bushes all winter. Colors up nicely after frost. Three to 5 feet high.
Button Bush, Cephalanthus occidentalis.—Hardy native shrub, 4 to 8 feet high. Globular heads of white flowers in the spring. Foliage good.
Bush Honeysuckle, Lonicera tartarica.—Four to 10 feet. Upright somewhat spreading branches; bright green foliage. Flowers freely in May and June. A good background for smaller shrubs.
Buck Brush, Ceanothus.—North American species of the buckthorn family. Yellow or blue flowers in terminal clusters, small shrub.
Butterfly Bush, Buddleia Variabilis Magnifica.—This is advertised highly as an ever bloomer, beginning in early spring and continuing until frost. Hardy except in extreme Northern states.
Cinque Foil, Potentilla fruticosa.—Three to 4 feet. Hardy native shrub. Bright yellow flowers.
Cherries, Prunus.—The native plums and cherries are nearly all so small as to be called shrubs. They are worthy of planting for ornamental purpose. The sand cherries are natives of the western sandhill regions; P. besseyi, and P. pumila are excellent. For massing the common chokecherry is one of the best small trees known, the flowers are beautiful and the fruit is excellent food for the birds.
Coral Berry, Indian Currant, Symphoricarpus vulgaris.—Common native shrub, graceful, and holds through the winter bright little red berries. Two to 3 feet high.
Currant.—See [Ribes].
Dogwood, Cornus, several species.—About thirty species distributed over the Northern Hemisphere. Chiefly shrubs, all hardy and ornamental, handsome foliage, stems, flowers, and fruits. The unfortunate name “dogwood” seems to have been fastened upon these beautiful plants because a decoction of the astringent bark was used to wash mangy dogs.[220] The dogwoods are mostly shrubs, except three or four species in the Southern states. Some of the smaller ones were called Kinnikinick[221] by the Indians, applied to at least the red osier (C. stolonifera) and the silky cornel (C. amomum). The highly colored red and purple stems give them a striking appearance in the winter. In the summer the foliage bright green in some, grayish green in others, the white flowers and white berries changing to blue, always prominent even after the foliage has taken on gorgeous coloring in autumn, makes them stand out prominently from other bushes in their neighborhood. By all means let the dog-woods be preserved by planting along not too dry places in our roadways. The species especially desirable are, in addition to the two mentioned, C. baileyi, C. sericea, C. mas, C. sanguinea, and C. horida.
Daphne.—D. mezereum, a low shrub, 1 to 3 feet, with rose-colored flowers. D. cneorum, a hardy evergreen shrub from Europe.
Deutzia.—Not quite hardy in the North. There are several species.
Elder.—The common elder, Sambucus canadensis, is a rapid-growing plant with ornamental qualities of high rank. Its pinnately compound leaves, its beautiful little lacy flowers which combine into broad compound cymes giving them a very showy appearance, and its fruit—small berries in the same showy cyme bunches—make it worthy the notice of road gardeners. The golden elders give bright color but are probably freaky. In the South the Mexican elder (S. mexicana) grows into a tree 30 feet high. Likewise the pale elder (S. glanca) on the Pacific coast; it is said to grow 50 feet tall in Oregon. The fruit of the elder is edible; is used for wine and pies.
Exochorda grandiflora.—A shrub bearing white blossoms in spring.
Evergreens.—A number of the evergreens are dwarf or so slow growing that they may be very effectively used for shrubbing. The arbor vitæ has been used in hedges. Pines, cedars and spruces are commonly used to heighten architectural effects.
Fringe Tree, Chionanthus virginica.—A shrub or small tree blossoming profusely about lilac flowering time. Foliage not particularly good.
Flowering Almond, Amygdalus nana.—A dwarf almond cultivated for its flowers, imported from Russia. Grows 4 or 5 feet high and in the spring the slender stems are almost wholly covered with the blossoms.
Flowering Crab.—Nearly every state has the wild crab-apple, which is hardy and a most beautiful flowering plant when in bloom. The fruit is usually small and sour, but the early settlers found it fine for jelly, and the wild tang is delightful. Crab trees have been domesticated so that now nursery men claim a double flowering crab, extremely beautiful with fragrant double flowers of delicate pink. The tree is of medium height.
Golden Bell, Forsythia viridissima, and F. Fortunei bear great quantities of yellow flowers in early spring. At their best in the Eastern states. F. syspensa is a weeping or semi-prostrate form.
Hercules Club, Aralia spinosa.—Six to 18 feet high. Its large leaves give it a somewhat tropical effect.
Hydrangia paniculata grandiflora.—The shrub hydrangeas furnish large showy white flowers in the autumn after most flowers have gone. Very effective between the greens of the shrubs and trees and of the grass.
Indian Currant.—See [Coral Berry].
Japan Quince, Pyrus japonica.—Cultivated for its brilliant scarlet flowers in early spring.
Judas Tree.—See [Red Bud].
June Berry, Amalanchier canadensis.—Also called service berry (in the Black Hills, sarvice berry) or shad bush. A slender tree, 6 to 20 feet, with pretty flowers forming early before the leaves. Fruit, berries, one-third of an inch in diameter, edible, extremely well liked by the birds. Two other species, A. oboralis and A. alnifolia, are equally useful as ornamental trees. The first and second species native in Canada and North Central states; the third west of the mountains from Alaska to Oregon.
Kerria japonica.—Three to 8 feet. A pretty shrub with slender twigs and yellow flowers.
Lilac.—The common cultivated lilacs, an important gardening shrub, belongs to the genus Syringa. They may be used in clumps or in hedges, and require very little care except to cut them back occasionally and clean out dead wood. Several fine varieties are now on the market.
Mock Orange.—See [Syringa].
Oleaster, Elaeagnus Longipes, E. argentia and E. hortensis.—Sometimes called wild Olive. Said to have edible fruits.
Pea-Tree, Caragana frutescens, a low shrub bearing yellow pea-like flowers in spring. C. arborescens, similar, larger.
Plums.—A number of wild plums are very suitable for road planting. In fact they plant themselves if given an opportunity. Good for massing and screening. Prunus americana and P. maritima are especially recommended.
Privet.—Hardy shrubby hedge plants. Best adapted for carefully trimmed low hedges 2 to 3 feet high. Ligustrum vulgare and L. ovalifolium are both used. For the North Central states it is recommended that “Amoor River” privet be used as the “California” privet is not altogether hardy. May also be used for massing.
Raspberry, Rubus odoratus.—The flowering raspberry grows from 3 to 5 feet tall and may be used in clumps for small massing wherever brambles may be desired.
Red Bud, Judas Tree, Cercis canadensis.—A very striking small tree, from 10 to 30 feet high, in the early spring when its bright red-purple flowers appear before the leaves. Very noticeable in the bluffs along the large rivers where it dots the gray and greening hillsides with splotches of color. The foliage and bark are also good, so that it is well worthy of note for roadside planting.
Ribes aureum.—Sometimes called the flowering currant. A very hardy native, useful for massing. It bears bright yellow flowers, whose spicy fragrance soon call attention to it when in bloom. Grows from 4 to 7 feet high and spreads rapidly by suckers. Other species of currant and gooseberries are valuable for massing.
Rhododendrons.—In the Eastern states as far north as Massachusetts these ornamental plants are very popular. As a road shrub it could hardly be used on account of the thieving propensities of some people.
Roses.—The hardy flowering roses in massed groups will give color and interest to the roadside. The sweet-brier and single prairie rose grow profusely in the Central West. The ramblers may be used to cover old fences. The difficulty with most roses is a lack of artistic beauty after they have ceased flowering. A few have good foliage for massing. In Oregon and other Coast states the perpetual blooming roses may be utilized.
Shad Bush.—See [June Berry].
Snowball.—There are several species and varieties. Viburnum opulus and its varieties are probably best. Very hardy, good foliage, from 4 to 10 feet high, and when in bloom in the spring a most impressive sight with each bunch of blossoms looking like a truly big snowball.
Snowberry.—Similar to the Indian currant, but has white berries. A very hardy native; blooming in the late summer its berries remain on the bush-like small pearls until late into the winter. Symphoricarpus racemosus is the native shrub well worthy of cultivation. Will make its way wild along the roads if given a chance.
Spice Bush, Calycanthus floridus.—A small shrub bearing spicy flowers.
Spirea.—The several species are all very artistic shrubs and worthy of the popularity which they bear. Can be used as a single bush, in hedges or in masses. The long graceful bends of the slender stems, reminding one of the streams of water from a fountain, their beautiful foliage and above all the foaming flowers in the spring time make them the horticulturist’s favorite. Spirea van houttei, bridal wreath, is considered to be the best, although S. prunifolia, and S. Thunbergii have their admirers. S. anthony waterer bears crimson flowers.
Squawberry.—A local name sometimes given to [Indian currant] and [snowberry], q. v.
St. Johnswort.—A number of small shrubs of the family Hypericum. H. aureum has a height of 3 feet and flourishes in the Southern and Western states. Wild it prefers rocky situations and shady spots. Yellow flowers.
Strawberry Tree, Euonymus atropurpureus.—Also called burning bush. Hardy in the South. Bright ornamental fruit persists into the winter.
Sumach.—Several species of the family Rhus. They are native over a wide range and very hardy. The leaves are pinnately compound and hang down from the top of the stem something like a palm leaf, giving a suggestion of the tropics. Of about 120 species of Rhus some sixteen are found in North America; all but four are shrubs. The poison sumach, Rhus vernix, should never be allowed to grow along the roads as touching the plant is said to be far worse than handling poison ivy. It grows in wet or swampy ground and the white berries are in drooping clusters. The ornamental sumach, R. glabra, is the ordinary common roadway plant, with its upright fruit clusters persisting late into the winter showing deep red against a gray or snowy white background. Its foliage is bright and clean during the summer and turns to rich colors in the autumn. Many ugly spots can with very little trouble be covered with this harmless roadside friend.
Sweet Gale, Myrica gale, and sweet fern, M. asplenifolia, are native small shrubs that can be well used in shrubbery border.
Syringa.—Sometimes called mock orange. This shrub grows to about 8 or 12 feet high and on account of its many white flowers in late spring or early summer is a favorite garden shrub. In shape and fragrance the flowers resemble orange blossoms. It may be used in clumps, masses or in hedges. It is very satisfactory because it seldom fails to bloom and has good appearance afterward. Old wood should be cut out. The best species to plant are Philadelphus coronarius, P. grandiflorus, and P. gordonianus.
Tamarix or Tamarisk.—A shrub of the genus Tamarix, which has been imported from the Mediterranean regions. The feathery foliage reminds one of the cypress vine. The species best adapted to the United States is T. gallica. It bears pink flowers in late summer. Is good for covering unsightly banks. May be propagated from cuttings. It will kill out in extreme winters.
Wegelia, Diervilla florida.—Several varieties. Good blooming plants and usually hardy. Rather poor foliage.
White Alder, Clethra alnifolia.—Native shrub 3 to 10 feet high.
Willow.—Many of the Salix family are shrubby and can be used well in low places. As they come into foliage early in the spring they are often used by the landscape artist. The shining twigs and leaves lend variety.
Yucca.—The yuccas may be used effectively with formal plantings, or to lend variety to naturalesque schemes.