Saxifraga Peltata.
The above are all more or less dwarf growing plants, and suited for bog gardens on a small scale. In larger places good use will be made of Rhododendrons, Ferns of various kinds, Sedges, and numerous Lilies, especially superbum, to give boldness and distinction to the scene. It is a mistake, when it can be managed otherwise, to grow only small plants, as the effect is generally patchy and insignificant, besides giving the bog a dull, flat appearance. So many beautiful flowering shrubs and hardy lilies grow best in a peaty soil, so that on the fringe of the bog, where the ground is drier, whole colonies of beautiful plants may come trooping down to the edge, shutting off the little enclosure from the rest of the garden. Good drainage and the destruction of weeds are points essential to success, and a close watch should be kept for stray plants of Sheep Rot, which if allowed to spread will choke the whole bog in a short time.
CHAPTER X
FLOWERING TREES AND SHRUBS
The majority of English gardeners are slow to recognise the value of the various flowering shrubs as an aid to the carrying out of design. Our gardens, as a whole, are far too sombre, a result of planting extensively with dark, close growing evergreens, which keep out the light, and reduce our pleasure grounds to the verge of monotony. Evergreens are well enough in their way, and in certain instances form valuable screens to unsightly corners at all times of the year. But their use has been overdone, and by their presence they are crowding out a host of beautiful subjects, graceful and varied in their mode of growth, and productive, also, of that most needed element in our often saddening atmosphere—colour. Small gardens, especially, can ill afford to be overplanted with laurel and privet, a form of encroachment to which they are particularly liable. The majority of evergreens are greedy feeders, and their hungry roots travel in all directions, impoverishing the soil in the beds and borders, which, owing to lack of space, have to be formed in their near vicinity. The prejudice which exists against deciduous trees is in reality quite unfounded, as anyone must realise who has taken the trouble to examine the structural beauty of trees which shed their leaves. The exquisite tints of autumn, the gradual revealing of hidden beauties in bark and stem as the summer mantle is discarded, are sights we look for in vain in evergreens. Summer and winter they hardly vary, and gardens in which stiffly growing hollies, dusty yews, and straggling laurels monopolise nearly all the space, are usually lacking in interest just when they should be full of charm. If some of the old shrubberies filled with worn out, decaying evergreens could be rooted up, letting in the air and sunshine, how much better would it be. Their place might be taken by a varied collection of graceful, deciduous trees and shrubs, which during their flowering period would afford constant interest and pleasure. Of course a garden from which evergreens were entirely banished, would be bare and cheerless to a degree during the winter months. Besides, the more tender plants would undoubtedly suffer, owing to the sudden inlet of cold winds, from which they had previously been protected. As shelter trees and wind breaks, evergreens are of the utmost utility, and their value in this direction cannot be over-estimated. Judiciously planted and used in moderation they are always pleasing, it is only by constant repetition, and the formation of dense, gloomy thickets, that the designer wearies us by their presence.
Granted, however, that evergreens have a certain value, there is no reason why we should not aim at greater variety than is at present the case. In addition to the ever present laurels, there are whole families of Rhododendrons, Barberries, Olearia, Kalmia, certain of the Heaths, Daphne in sheltered situations, Cotoneaster, and many others. These are all beautiful at their flowering period, and at other times, by their diversity of form and habit, will make a welcome change to the existing conditions. I have felt it desirable to draw attention to the need for further recognition of the flowering shrubs, both deciduous and evergreen; they present so much variety and charm, and are, moreover, adapted to such a variety of situations, that it seems unreasonable to exclude them from our gardens. Another point in their favour is the supply of decorative bloom which is obtainable from such free flowering subjects as the various Quinces, Brooms, Weigela, Syringa, and others. Whole branches of bud and blossom look exquisite when lightly arranged in jars and vases, the Japanese methods being worthy of imitation, so that in both garden and house endless possibilities are presented to the modern gardener. In order to recall a few of the best varieties, nearly all of which are hardy, I give a list of those which have proved deserving of a place.
Azalea.—These beautiful flowers should be grown much more extensively. Not only during their flowering period, but in the full glory of their autumn foliage, they are supremely lovely. An endless number of varieties are available, the hardy Ghent Azaleas with a fine range of colour being perhaps best for general purposes. A. mollis, a dwarf Japanese variety, is useful for grouping in front of the larger kinds. Those living in the south, or having gardens with sunny, sheltered dells, may also plant A. Indica, which is a sub-evergreen. Let no one be deterred from growing these beautiful shrubs under the impression that they require peat; in ordinary garden soil they thrive wonderfully, if protected from cold winds.
Magnolia.—Beautiful flowering shrubs from China and Japan. M. conspicua bears a profusion of snowy blossoms early in May. A dwarf growing variety with starry white flowers, M. stellata, should be grown in sheltered corners. At Kew the effect of bold groups of Azaleas and Magnolias in the open may be seen during the spring and early summer months.
A GARDEN HOUSE
Rhododendrons form gardens in themselves, such is the variety of habit and colouring which they display. Nevertheless they are often overplanted, and when out of flower the banks of evergreen foliage become monotonous. A better plan is to choose a few really good hybrid varieties and group them carefully according to colour and period of flowering, interspersing with shrubs of different growth to prevent monotony. Almost every shade from white to deep crimson is to be found in these showy flowers. Limestone soils are very prejudicial to their welfare, but otherwise they succeed in a diversity of situations. Numbers of hybrid kinds are catalogued, and it is an easy matter to choose a dozen or so really desirable varieties.