Among evergreens and semievergreen broad-leaved shrubs, several of the cotoneasters like acutifolia, make fine hedges, also Berberis verruculosa and julianae. Ilex crenata, opaca, and glabra should be considered. For large coniferous ever green hedges, choose Douglas spruce or white pine, or north of New York, white spruce, which will stand moderate clip ping. Norway spruce tends to thin out and the hard-needled pines resent shearing.

For hedges, a foot or so high, to edge walks and borders, dwarf boxwood is still ideal. Next come the dwarf yews. Ko rean boxwood makes a delightful, low, informal hedge, al though it can be sheared. It is hardier than the English type and successful as far north as Canada. Siberian willow, though deciduous, has its uses as a hedge, also Viburnum opulus nanum. Pachistima canbyi, a low, compact evergreen shrub, the herbaceous Teucrium chamaedrys, Leiophyllum buxifolium, and southernwood are also attractive.

In selecting a hedge, think of ultimate rather than the pres ent height and width. In time all hedges get wider and taller. None can be kept at a certain height forever. When a hedge outgrows a location, it must either be cut back to the ground, or nearly so, a treatment few plants will stand, or else it must be removed and replaced. Most shrubs can be cut back and restrained for long periods, but conifers, except yews, can not. They die.

The choice also depends on what is being used nearby. This is another way of saying that all parts of the landscape picture should harmonize. A fine-foliaged evergreen hedge will not look well joining two groups of coarse-leaved de ciduous plants, particularly in winter. If evergreen material is used, carry enough of it over into the adjacent shrub group to make a pleasant transition. Coarse-textured hedges are better generally at a distance, and fine-textured ones nearer at hand.

Walls

Walls with their old-world tradition are perhaps the love liest of garden backgrounds, offering patterns in stone or brick masonry, warm colors, and a place for vines and espal iered plants. Materials for walls range from old or new brick, whitewashed or left in its natural state; dressed stone or field stone, laid up in mortar or dry, if the stones are large enough to be in scale and stay in place; or rubble laid up in mortar and stuccoed. Walls should be at least five feet high. In most sections of the country it will be necessary to provide ample footings below frostline so that they will stay erect without heaving or cracking. Being permanent and costly, they should be well constructed or omitted in favor of something less ex pensive.