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The basic design of such a garden is most important. Out
line the paths that create the pattern with dwarf hedges, and
pave them with brick or flagstone, or cover them with gravel
or tanbark. For the beds, choose and arrange plants with a
nice regard for texture and color of foliage, as well as occa
sional bloom. Treat plants more as individuals than as com
ponent parts of a mass. Here is the place to use shrubs and
trees that cannot be accommodated in the foundation planting
or the more restricted terrace beds. The azaleas, both decidu
ous and evergreen, hybrid rhododendrons, the larger forms
of Japanese holly, as well as native hollies, laurel of course,
and some of the dwarfer retinospora can be used. The various
magnolias, franklinia, sourwood, dogwood, especially the
later-flowering Kousa, the larger evergreen barberries and
cotoneasters, and the several varieties of boxwood have much
to contribute to the green garden. (Plate 32.)
For flowers, plant early-spring bulbs, particularly narcis
sus which can be selected for a long period of bloom and
planted in a naturalistic way in front of shrubs or underneath
the branches of small trees. Columbine, hemerocallis, hostas,
and lilies, especially the native varieties or those that endure
or prefer some shade-Lilium philadelphicum, giganteum,
himalaicum, martagon, and hansoni-will give a fair amount
of bloom through the summer. In the fall, the brilliant foli
age of native trees and shrubs and their fruits, a few groups
of chrysanthemums and hardy asters will stage a colorful
show.
Usually the beds in a green garden should be ground
covered with varieties of plants arranged to create a pattern
or a picture in themselves. With ivy and myrtle, use ajuga
both blue and white, Euonymus fortunei Purpleleaf, Pachis-
tima canbyi, pachysandra, and many of the lovely wildings
-galax, partridgeberry, pipissewa, bunchberry, cowberry,
and large groups of various violets. If there are patches of
sunlight, heather, sedums, thymes, and veronicas may be in
eluded for variety and color. There are numerous native ferns
suited to open sunny spots, to partial shade, and for moist or
dry wooded areas.
Once such a garden is established, it will go on for years
with little attention. It will be necessary occasionally to cut
back a too vigorous shrub, restrain the enclosing plantation
from encroaching too far into the beds reserved for lesser
things, and periodically to divide and reset bulbs and peren
nials, but this is about all. Upkeep will not approach that of
the more usual sunny gardens.
Old, Established Gardens
The problem of transition is ever present in long-planted
gardens. As surrounding hedges and shrub borders and over
hanging trees grow taller and thicker, as the specimen plants
get larger, there is less and less room in the beds for herbace
ous material. Not only is space at a premium, but growing
conditions for most annuals and perennials become unsatis
factory. There is too much shade, too much root competition,
and not enough air circulation to maintain disease-free plants.
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