There’s a chamaecyparis that forms a fluffy, green two-inch ball by the time it’s seven years old; a cone-shaped Norway spruce that rarely grows more than twelve inches tall; a one-foot rhododendron with deep-crimson trumpet flowers; a nonfruiting viburnum that makes a two-foot globe tightly packed with ivy-like leaves. There are junipers that form plush carpets; ericaceous evergreens with neat mounds of twinkling flowers over shiny teardrop leaves; deciduous shrubs with golden blooms, seeds in silky pea pods, and green stems that look leafy the year round.

That is just a tantalizing hint of the fantastic variety of little trees and shrubs, and how they can steal the show in the garden. We have three magnificent pines on Pine Tree Road (it may have been named for them) but our guests are more likely to comment about the starry cushions of Leiophyllum buxifolium beside the front walk. We dug and lugged tons of rock to make beds for our favorite roses, but the small edging plants draw more attention. When the rock garden is a mass of flamboyant spring color, we’ll be asked the name of a heather that’s not even in flower, or the juniper (Juniperus procumbens nana) two inches high that spreads like velvet over a rock.

There are miniatures among all types of trees and shrubs—deciduous and evergreen, broad-leaved and needle-leaved. Those described in this chapter are almost all three feet tall or less at maturity, or are so extremely slow-growing they seldom top that height in twenty years. In just a few cases, slightly taller varieties are included, which can be kept to three feet or less with a little pruning. Some low types are omitted because they spread too rambunctiously to be called miniatures or to be suitable for small gardens.

These limitations automatically exclude the small, flowering trees and shrubs, and dwarf fruit trees, that are part of the over-all landscape plan for small grounds. They’re not really miniature garden items, but background features around which miniature gardens are planned.

We’ve thought of a dozen different ways to use the really midget trees and shrubs, and I imagine there must be dozens more. We have a colony of tiny rhododendrons blooming at the base of a boulder, and another near an old stump at the edge of the woods. Several sprawly evergreens and some precious ericaceous gems adorn the rock garden and spots near the front terrace.

There are plenty of miniature shrubs of varying heights, foliage, colors and textures, and flowering times to compose a small shrubbery border, with tiny bulbs to plant along the edge. Small trees and shrubs can be used as background for mixed borders of small annuals and perennials; evergreens can make a setting for miniature rose gardens. Almost any small pool, wall, raised bed, or set of steps provides a place to plant the right tree or shrub. And, of course, these are perfect plants for sink and trough gardens, bonsai work, or even for indoor forcing in the greenhouse.

If you can’t find the varieties you want at your local nursery, you can order them by mail from reliable suppliers. Either way, plants that have been transplanted regularly by the grower develop a compact system of fibrous roots rather than a few long straggly tap-like roots, will take hold faster and transplant easier, will fit into your garden quicker. All that will make you a happier gardener.

Don’t be surprised if miniature trees and shrubs cost more than the regular varieties of the same name. The little fellows take much longer to reach that size, and require more costly care. Many of them are difficult to propagate, some even have to be grown from seed.

Your first thought in selecting a miniature tree or shrub, of course, is the decorative effect it is planned to achieve—whether it should be formally upright and symmetrical, or irregularly shaped and naturalistic; whether it is to act as an accent or specimen, or as a background or blender. Consider the texture of the foliage, the time and manner of flowering, whether the colors will fight with others in the garden. Plant deciduous types where they won’t be an eyesore in winter, or select one with an attractive winter habit and appearance. Make sure the plant and all its parts are in scale with the setting and with other plants.

Once you decide that a variety will look right in your garden, make sure it will also grow right. A plant that needs full sun will not flower in a shady spot. Acid-loving plants will not flourish in alkaline soil. Those that like their roots kept cool and moist will wither where it is hot and dry. Watch for unfavorable factors such as high walls, drip from overhanging eaves, low, muggy spots where there is little circulation of fresh air. If the plant requires a lot of pruning, training, and spraying, make sure you have the time to take care of its well-being. A healthy, easy-to-care-for barberry is infinitely more ornamental than a glamorous shrub struggling to stay alive.

HARDINESS

The main factor that determines whether a plant will live through the winter in your garden (and it is a factor you can’t control) is minimum winter temperature. This is the basis for the newest (1960) Plant Hardiness Zone Map issued by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. Other uncontrollable factors include: How long the low temperature will last; how early and suddenly a freak freeze occurs; whether or not winter provides a beneficial blanket of continuous snow; whether there are punishing gales with driving sleet and encrusting ice.

But even in severe areas, or with plants of questionable hardiness, there are some ways we can increase the odds against winter-kill. Selection of suitable varieties, careful planting in favorable locations (never in low “pockets” where frost settles, or where water collects around roots under eaves or around walls), careful fertilizing, winter protection, prevention of attacks by insects and disease—all of the cultural principles that promote healthy, thriving growth, will help to increase winter hardiness. In other words, “The combined effects of all (climatic and cultural) factors determine the true plant adaptability.”

Actually, true hardiness means more than mere winter survival. A tree or shrub is hardy when it can live through many years to maturity, and when it not only survives but develops normally and completes its annual growth cycle. For example, in some sections, very late or very early frosts will kill flower buds on some varieties. Trees and shrubs that require a period of winter dormancy are not hardy in Florida, where there is no protracted cold period. In arid areas where summers are extremely hot, dry, and windy, hardiness may depend on how much time you have to spare for special care.

If you would avoid disappointment, especially with rather expensive miniature trees and shrubs, buy the strongest, healthiest plants of the varieties most suitable to your climate, and do all you can to satisfy each individual’s cultural needs. Thus, unfavorable weather has two strikes against it from the start.

PLANTING AND CARE

No matter how careful we are, fall planting is seldom successful for us in Connecticut. But in spring planting it seems as if we can’t miss. Once we were given a dozen ornamental shrubs—named varieties of virburnum, lilac, and two of the supposedly tricky caryopteris—whose bare roots had been out of the ground for several weeks. The caryopteris and one invincible lilac even flowered that year!

In early spring, just before they awaken from dormancy (or a little later when new growth and buds are starting to show), woody plants have more vitality than at any other time of the year. Vigorous new roots grow faster. And the plants have a full growing season to get established before winter sets in. We start planting the minute the soil dries enough to be workable, sometimes as early as March. Of course, spring-flowering varieties are safest if they are container-grown or balled and burlapped.

Early fall planting is fine for milder climates—from the time the season’s growth has matured on evergreens, or when deciduous varieties begin to drop their leaves, until the ground freezes. Except for container-grown plants, winter planting is usually recommended for the South, when the plants are as nearly dormant as possible.

Bare-root plants (risky for evergreens) should be kept moist until they are put into the ground. Thoroughly soak the roots, and even the stems, in a bucket of water. The roots and soil of balled and burlapped plants should also be kept moist. Either way, protect the transplants against wind and sun until they’re set out.

Dig a planting hole wide enough for the roots to spread out in without bending or crowding, with an extra six inches of loosened soil in the bottom for them to penetrate. This is the time to check on drainage, one of the most important factors in plant survival. Run some water in the hole—enough to fill it. If the water seeps away fairly fast, the drainage is probably good. If it remains for any length of time, you’d better dig much deeper and remove the subsoil. Fill in with sharp sand or fine gravel for about six inches.

Enrich or condition the topsoil that you dug out, before you replace it around the roots. Set trees and shrubs at the same level they were growing in the nursery, never more than an inch or so deeper. The burlap around a soil ball doesn’t need to be loosened. It will rot away rather quickly. Fill in around the roots until the hole is three-fourths full; flood with water to settle soil in any air pockets; let it drain; and finish filling the hole until it is just level with the surface, but don’t mound it up. A raised ridge around the edge of the hole will form a saucer to hold water until it runs down to the roots. Water again, slowly and thoroughly, so that the soil in the hole and some of the surrounding area is thoroughly saturated.

A newly planted tree or shrub is likely to wilt in sun or dry wind unless you provide some temporary shelter or shading. This is rather simple to do. An upturned basket over a small shrub, or a screen of light cheesecloth, or an old window curtain, or a piece of burlap suspended on stakes will suffice.

Soil

What you do to enrich or condition topsoil depends on the existing soil, and on each plant’s individual preferences. Add sharp sand to heavy, clay-like soil to improve the drainage. If you have extra-sandy soil, add moisture-holding peat or leaf mold. Almost any soil is improved by mixing in liberal amounts of organic matter such as leaf mold or well-rotted manure. We seldom add fertilizer for miniature trees and shrubs.

If your soil is alkaline, and you are planting acid-loving varieties, use liberal quantities of well-rotted cow manure, acid peat, or woodsy soil from under pine, beech, or oak trees. To neutralize, or alkalinize, acid soil, use horticultural lime.

Watering and Mulching

Transplanted trees and shrubs should be watered with extra care during their first growing season. Soil should be kept moist constantly, but not muddy, to the full depth of the roots. Don’t rely on light rains that moisten only the surface. During hot, dry periods, spray the foliage with the garden hose as often as possible. A light, airy mulch—buckwheat hulls, crushed sugar cane, or something similar—will help keep the soil from drying out and keep it cooler, too.

Established trees and shrubs are kept moist during the spring and summer growing seasons. But in August and September, when the year’s new growth is maturing and hardening for the winter, less watering is needed. Resume watering in October, and keep it up until the ground freezes. It is particularly vital that evergreens—both needle-leaved and broad-leaved—should never go into winter with dry soil about the roots.

Fertilizing

Feeding miniature plants too heavily sometimes can cause them to outgrow miniature size. Actually, they don’t need a rich diet. An annual top-dressing of well-rotted, or dried, cow manure, or a light sprinkling of balanced commercial fertilizer, in early spring is usually sufficient. Fertilizing in late summer or early fall dangerously promotes soft new growth that is susceptible to winter damage.

Pruning

Most miniature trees and shrubs are best when allowed to keep their natural habits and shapes, and pruned as little as possible. Of course, damaged or broken branches should be cut away at planting time, or at the end of the winter. Unwanted suckers, and any growth that is out of line, ungainly, or unattractive can be removed at any time. Any other pruning should be done in earliest spring before new leaves appear. There is one exception. Spring-flowering varieties that bloom on last year’s wood are pruned immediately after flowering. Fall pruning of any type can stimulate new growth that may winter-kill.

Some evergreens, for example the mugho pine, are encouraged to branch and keep more compact by breaking off half of the partially matured “candles” at the ends of the branches. Evergreen or deciduous shrubs sometimes are grown in formal shapes and, like hedges, trimmed regularly in spring and summer.

Some summer-and fall-flowering shrubs, referred to as “cut-back” or “die-back” types, are perfectly root-hardy although the tops are likely to be partly, or completely, killed by winter. But they make new growth each spring on which normal flowers and fruit are produced. Some of these may grow too tall and awkward when the branches are killed back only part way. To keep them small and shapely, cut all stems back to mere stubs in earliest spring.

Insects and Diseases

We’ve never had to hover over our garden constantly with duster and spray gun, and I hope we never will. It’s a dull, tiresome, unrewarding occupation—confusing and frustrating, too. There are so many different kinds of pests, with so many different habits, appetites, and life cycles, infesting so many different types of plants in so many different ways, that only an expert such as the county agricultural agent, or “plant-doctor” Cynthia Westcott, can keep them straight. And even Miss Westcott asks, “Is this spray necessary?”

Don’t misunderstand. We do have pests and diseases on our garden plants; and we do fight them; and we’ve been known to mutter about the injustice of it all. But we try not to let them take all of the joy out of summer gardening.

Two or three times during the growing season we fill the tank of the small pressure sprayer with a solution of “all-purpose” garden spray. Everything in the garden gets the treatment, including shrubs and trees we can reach without a tall ladder.

We also wage annual war against a few familiar enemies as soon as they appear. In February we cut off twigs encircled by the brownish egg bands of tent caterpillars. When the nests appear in spring we wipe them out with rags or crumpled paper and spray the surrounding area with DDT. When cankerworms are all over the place (as they were in the spring of 1961), DDT protects the foliage of small plants, particularly our precious miniature trees and shrubs. We discovered we couldn’t possibly cope with the gigantic shade trees of the woods.

We have very few Japanese beetles since we started grub-proofing all cultivated land. Any time after the ground thaws in spring, and through October, we spray or dust with chlordane. Five pounds of 5 per cent chlordane dust will treat a thousand square feet, can be bought for about two dollars, and can be applied in an hour with a good-sized duster. This treatment is effective for three years. The few beetles that start working over the roses in midsummer quickly succumb to DDT.

The infrequent appearances of aphids are met with a dousing of nicotine sulfate solution, and the same treatment is used for some kinds of scale, although others require dormant oil spray. During one very hot summer, mites yellowed some of our evergreens. Aramite, used faithfully according to label directions, routed them. We do keep either sulfur or Karathane on hand to combat mildew on plants such as roses where it really matters. For any more complicated or unidentifiable problems, we rely on the advice of our friendly county agent and his staff.

Winter Protection

Newly transplanted or very young trees and shrubs—or any of questionable hardiness—need special protection against winter severities. Our favorite method for small specimens is to pack salt hay or leaves around them loosely and put an upturned basket on top. Somewhat taller shrubs may be encircled with evergreen branches, the ends being stuck in the ground and tied together over the tops. For groupings of shrubs, we put a burlap barrier on the windward side, especially for tender types, and sometimes make a tent of sorts. Evergreens planted where the late winter sun might burn them need shade of some sort—a lathed frame, snow fence, or the like.

PROPAGATING MINIATURE TREES AND SHRUBS

This is one of my favorite addictions. I can’t resist planting any seeds that come my way, can’t bear to discard an evergreen or a broken branch of cotoneaster, can’t resist the impulse to root cuttings. As a result, our rather small nursery bed is closely populated with small, young shrubs and trees of all kinds. I doubt that we’ll ever find space to plant them once they’re grown; and I imagine I could be rather popular could I ever bring myself to give them away.

Propagating trees and shrubs is predominantly a trial-and-error proposition because each variety has its own preferred method of reproducing itself. Some are difficult to raise from seeds, some won’t propagate any other way; some root readily from cuttings, some take three years; some are amenable to layering, others are not. For me this guesswork is a good thing. If all my seeds and cuttings took root and grew into bushes and trees, there’d be no challenge, no fun, and no place to put them.

We always keep a propagating box handy—a shallow box or flat with sides and top of glass or polyethylene. In summer it rests under a tree; in winter it may be on an unheated porch, in the cold frame, or in the greenhouse. The propagating medium may be Pelonex or perlite; a three-way mixture of peat, vermiculite, and perlite; half-and-half sterilized leaf mold and sharp sand (peat packs too hard for me); or clean sharp sand alone. The medium is kept constantly moist but not soggy and is never allowed to dry out. Cuttings are inserted in rows, and removed for potting as soon as the roots are an inch or so long. Sometimes seed is sown in part of the box, or we may rig up a second box when we have a goodly number to plant. The glass, or plastic, sides and top preserve moisture and keep the air humid.

Seeds

Most types of shrubs and trees are rather slow to grow to maturity from seed. And seeds of miniatures produce all-miniature seedlings only when the seed-bearing parents are natural species with natural miniature characteristics. Small varieties of larger species, “sports” or mutations, can’t always be counted on to produce small offspring.

Seeds vary in the time they take to germinate (three weeks to three years, depending on the plant) and in germination requirements. Some need warmth, some cool temperatures, some darkness, some light. And some need a period of dormancy or “after-ripening” before they are planted. In a process of “stratification” seeds are stored in moist sand for several months, usually at about 40 degrees or slightly less. However, some types (cedar, mugho pine) need to be frozen; a few others are stratified in warmth. Some seeds that you buy have already been stratified. The package will tell you so.

Fleshy seeds, such as chestnuts, are usually planted as soon as they ripen and fall. When seeds are covered with a fruity coat, like holly berries, for example, the berry should be soaked in water for a few days until the seeds can be squeezed free of the pulp. Hard-coated seeds need to be gently cracked, or nicked, to hasten germination, and can be sown outdoors in the fall to germinate the following spring, or even the spring after that. Most winged seeds of conifers need to be stratified (remove the wings) in moist sand all winter at 35 to 40 degrees and are planted in the spring. Fine seeds, as for rhododendrons, can be harvested from the split pods in fall and stored cool and dry until spring.

These are, of course, generalizations. When I am in doubt about how to handle seeds, and if my reference books don’t give me the information I need, I plant them several different ways. It is surprising how often they’ll germinate, regardless of method.

There is, of course, one inviolable rule about planting seeds of any sort—the planting medium should never dry out from the moment of planting, through germination and up to transplanting time.

Softwood Cuttings

Take the ends of this year’s growth when it is half ripe, in summer, or longer sections that can be cut into pieces with at least two buds or “eyes.” Make the cut just a little below the node. Or on slow-rooting plants, pull off the cutting with a sliver of the main stem (a “heel”) attached to the rooting end. Remove the leaves at the base, and dip the cut end in one of the hormone rooting powders if you wish. Check the formula on the label to make sure you have the correct one for that type of cutting, and follow the directions precisely. Insert cuttings in rows in the propagating box and firm the medium around the stem ends.

Almost all deciduous trees and shrubs can be propagated from summer softwood cuttings, and so can evergreens—both the needle-leaved and the broad-leaved varieties. Needle-leaved evergreens can also be produced from similar cuttings taken in late fall, but they seem to take longer to make roots. With mild bottom heat in the greenhouse, however, the process is fast enough so the cuttings are rooted before time to set them out in the nursery in the spring.

Hardwood Cuttings

When deciduous trees and shrubs have dropped their leaves, and this year’s growth has had additional ripening from a few sharp frosts, take cuttings of the ends of branches that seem fairly thick and sturdy. Cut off any immature tips, and trim the cuttings (of miniatures) to four to six inches long. Tie a dozen or so into a bundle with covered wire, or some similar tie that will neither rot nor injure the bark. Bury the bundles (some growers bury them standing, some in a horizontal position) so they are completely covered with soil in a cold frame, or use a box that can be kept where the temperature will be cold but not freezing. In spring, unbundle the cuttings and root them like any others in a propagating box, greenhouse, frame, or nursery bed.

Grafting

There are several different methods of attaching a stem or branch of one tree or shrub to the roots of another until the two parts grow together as one plant. So far, I’ve willingly left this field to the professionals, or to amateurs who are seriously interested and make a thorough study of it. I haven’t found the patience or free time for it.

Layering

Here is a foolproof method that guarantees a healthy new plant almost every time. Although some root faster than others, there’s hardly a tree or shrub with long or low-hanging branches that can’t be layered. Of course, the safety lies in the fact that the new plant is part of, and supported by, the parent plant until it is well rooted and strongly established.

In spring, when the plant is growing vigorously, select a low-hanging branch that can be pulled down to the ground. At that spot nick the bark, or slit the branch, to encourage rooting. Pin it down with a forked twig, a hairpin, or a clothespin and cover the tip with a little soil. When roots have formed and the tip is growing lustily, cut the branch between the new plant and the parent, then pot or transplant as you wish.

Air Layering

Plants that do not have a low branch are air-layered by nicking a stem or branch three or four inches from the tip, covering the nick with a ball of moist sphagnum moss, and wrapping the ball tightly in polyethylene, which is tied tightly at both ends. Hormone rooting powder can be applied to the nick with a small brush if you wish. Make sure the moss doesn’t dry out. When you see several good-sized roots, cut the stem below the ball, remove the plastic, and transplant or pot as you wish. Rooting speed varies with different plants. Some take only six weeks; some, several years.

Air layering can be done in spring, using ripened wood of last year’s growth, or in summer with new growth that is not yet woody and hard.

MINIATURE TREES AND SHRUBS

Abelia Caprifoliaceae

Ornamental shrub, persistent or deciduous, often half evergreen, spreading. Leaves simple, opposite, nearly stalkless. Flowers white or pink tubular, persistent purplish sepals. Native of Asia Minor and Mexico.

CARE. Semisun, or some protection. Well-drained soil with leaf mold. Amenable to pruning. Cool greenhouse. Hardy in zones 4 and 5.

PROPAGATION. Greenwood cuttings in summer, ripe wood cuttings in autumn, layering in spring, rarely from seed.

SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, hedges, ground cover, slopes, and as specimens; use as an evergreen in mild climates.

Abeliophyllum distichum Oleaceae White Forsythia, Korean Abelia

Deciduous ornamental shrub two to three inches high. White flowers in dense clusters in May and June or in February in mild climates. Leaves like the abelia, branches arching. Close relative to the forsythia; flowers smaller but more of them. Deep-purple flower buds form in the fall.

CARE. Sun, drainage, moist soil, hardy in zones 4 and 5. Too severe winter weather may kill the buds for spring. Needs some cover.

PROPAGATION. Same as for abelia.

SPECIAL USES. Same as for abelia.

Abies Pinaceae Fir

Pyramidal evergreen trees with whorls and graceful branches. Cones are erect; leaves flat, narrow, whitish on the underside with two lines, and shiny green above. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish from spruce, picea. (Spruce sheds leaves when dry, and its cones hang.) Bark is smooth and thin when young, thick and furrowed when old. Dwarf varieties are A. balsamea nana, A. grandis nana, A. procera (nobilis) glauca prostrata, two feet high.

CARE. Cool, humid. Hardy in the North.

PROPAGATION. Cuttings, grafting, seed.

SPECIAL USES. Bonsai.

Andromeda Ericaceae Bog Rosemary

Low, dwarf evergreen shrubs with narrow leaves, urn or bell-shaped pink flowers in May. Dwarf varieties are A. glaucophylla, less than a foot tall with leathery green leaves lightly frosted beneath, stems erect; and A. polifolia, a root-creeping species, the leaf margins often rolled.

CARE. Cool, very acid soil, peaty, deep acid leaf mold. Prefers bog garden; if among rocks, prepare soil to conform to above. Sun or part shade. Very hardy.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, cuttings (mature wood under glass), layers, division.

SPECIAL USES. Rock and bog gardens.

Azalea (Rhododendron) Ericaceae

The azalea differs from the rhododendron only in technical points. The size varies from tree-like to almost prostrate. It flowers from April to June and is the most vivid of all shrubs. Colors pink, yellow, salmon, purple, white, red, and orchid. Some are fragrant.

CARE. Acid soil, sun. Moist, unsuited for areas where there is less than twenty-five inches of rainfall per year. Water after flowering when plant is making new shoots. Reduce watering in summer. Prune to check irregular growth after blooming season. Remove old blooms. Fertilize after flowering. Dust soil with sulfur.

PROPAGATION. Seeds; layering, in air and in the soil; cuttings. Balled and burlapped plants can be set out almost any time.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, foundation planting, bonsai.

Betula nana Betulaceae Birch

Deciduous shrub, spreading and branching to two feet, leaves to one-half inch long. When young the leaves are sticky and fuzzy on the underside. A native of Alaska. Flowers, catkins.

CARE. Moist sandy soil.

PROPAGATION. Seeds (stratify at once), layering, green-wood cuttings under glass.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, trough gardens.

Bruckenthalia spiculifolia Ericaceae Balkan Heath

Evergreen, heath-like shrub ten inches high. Small pink bell flowers in summer. Gives the effect of billowy daintiness.

CARE. Drainage and not soggy wet. Hardy, but mulch in zone 4 with salt hay in winter. Sun; soil gritty and acid.

PROPAGATION. Seeds and cuttings.

SPECIAL USES. Rock and trough gardens.

Buxus Buxaceae Box, Boxwood

Evergreen shrub, very small with clusters of small flowers. Slow-growing; in fact, boxwood I set out two years ago seems hardly to have changed in size. But we await the possibilities with anticipation and patience. It is a versatile shrub.

CARE. Little or no care seems necessary. It grows in just about any soil not sandy or rocky. It has shallow roots. We protect it in winter with a light mulch. Plant in spring or late summer; use little or no fertilizer. It accepts being pruned or sheared.

PROPAGATION. Hardwood cuttings, suckers, division, layering.

SPECIAL USES. Edging, foundation planting, bonsai, hedges, pots, and dish gardens.

Calluna vulgaris Ericaceae Heather, Ling

Low evergreen shrub, clusters of pinkish bell flowers in August and September, leaves very small.

CARE. Soil light, peaty, sandy, with acid leaf mold. Full sun best but light shade is acceptable. Drainage is necessary in winter but prevent dehydration by dry winds. Hardy.

PROPAGATION. Cuttings, layering, division.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, foundation planting, edging, containers.

Caryopteris incana Verbenaceae Blue Spirea

Deciduous shrub, gray-green toothed leaves. Shrub grows to two or three feet and forms a ball the same width; firmly packed with fuzzy, fringed flowers in late summer, of blue or purplish tints.

CARE. Full sun, light soil, the sandier the better. Tolerates drought. Not entirely hardy and may be killed-back but will bloom anyhow. Prune severely in spring, making a more compact plant.

PROPAGATION. Cuttings of mature wood in August (root under glass), layering, seeds.

SPECIAL USES. Borders.

Cassiope lycopodioides Ericaceae

Low evergreen from two to three inches high and formed in a fat dome of the same width. Needle-like leaves are tiny and overlap like shingles. Has white bell flowers in spring.

CARE. Moist and cool, part shade, soil peaty or sandy and acid. Suffers in long hot summers or drought. Native of Siberia and Alaska.

PROPAGATION. Cuttings from mature wood in August (root under glass), layering, seeds.

SPECIAL USES. Rock and trough gardens.

Chaenomeles (Cydonia) Rosaceae Japanese Quince, Flowering Quince

Deciduous or semideciduous shrub with alternate toothed leaves of shiny green tone. Blooms in spring before leaves appear, in shades of white or pink. Later forms hard, quince-like fruit that is fragrant.

CARE. Almost any soil, but if fertile more flowers; drainage; partial shade produces more flowers. Top-dress in spring with garden fertilizer. Can be pruned for hedges (not too much).

PROPAGATION. Seeds (plant in spring and stratify), root cuttings, cuttings from ripe wood (root under glass), layering, grafting.

SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, specimens, hedges (do not prune as much as privet), bonsai.

Chamaecyparis (Retinospora) Cupressaceae False Cypress, White Cedar

Actually this is an evergreen that grows to a hundred feet, but it also comes in a wide variety of two-foot dwarfs. Basically the tree is pyramidal and has leaves more like scales than needles. They are very dense and tight, on drooping branches. Some of the dwarf species are C. obtusa coespitosa (tennis ball), C. lawsoniana, C. compacta, C. compacta glauca, C. nana compressa.

CARE. Acid soil; needs moisture, due to shallow roots. Fertilize, prune some to keep shapely, root-prune for rock gardens.

PROPAGATION. Seeds from the small cones.

SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, rock gardens, specimens.

Chamaedaphne calyculata Ericaceae Leatherleaf

Evergreen shrub that is a native bog dweller and therefore good for locations unsuitable for many plants. The evergreen two-inch leaves look rusty underneath and are dull brown in winter; branches are sparse. In spring it has dangling clusters of little white flowers. One-foot variety nana effective in moist part of rock gardens.

CARE. Moist location, acid soil with peat.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, cuttings from ripe wood (rooted under glass), layering.

SPECIAL USES. Bog gardens; dwarf variety for rock gardens.

Cotoneaster Rosaceae

This is a small shrub; some varieties are deciduous, some persistent. Has small pink or white flowers in the spring. In fall has bright-red berries. Deciduous leaves are colored before they drop.

CARE. Sun, but will accept some shade. Cool and moist but never waterlogged. (Subject to red spider if hot and dry.) Use lime to produce a slightly alkaline soil; use loamy soil. Needs circulation of air and drainage. Prune only to remove dead wood or broken branches. Doesn’t transplant readily. Plant in permanent location.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, sown when ripe or stratified by layers in autumn; cuttings of young wood in late summer (root under glass).

SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, rock walls, hedges, foundation planting.

Cryptomeria japonica Taxodiaceae

This is a Japanese evergreen tree that grows to towering heights but has several dwarf varieties: lobbi, pygmaea, and nana. It has shreddy red-brown bark and distinctive root formations above ground, making it very appealing for bonsai work. Blue-green leaves.

CARE. Protect during hot and dry summer, and from low temperatures. It is best in warmer climates. Enriched soil is not necessary but produces a more pleasing tree.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, cuttings, grafting. Seeds are stratified, and do not always come true. Cuttings are more satisfactory.

SPECIAL USES. Bonsai.

Daboecia cantabrica Ericaceae Irish Bell Heather

An evergreen shrub, upright and dwarf (ten to eighteen inches). The leaves are dark green but fuzzy white underneath. Purple, drooping-urn flowers, in clusters, last all summer.

CARE. Soil gritty, sandy, and peaty. Protect in winter and be careful about drainage. Mulch with salt hay or evergreen leaves.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, cuttings from ripe wood under glass.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens.

Daphne Thymelaeaceae

Some of these little shrubs are evergreen, some are not. Some of them grow very low. All of the several varieties bloom in early spring, often on bare wood. Colors vary from white to pink. Most varieties are fragrant.

CARE. Plant in a cool, moist location in light soil, drained and slightly sandy. Protect in winter with straw or salt hay.

PROPAGATION. Seeds are sown at once or are stratified; softwood cuttings after flowering; layering; hardwood cuttings in fall.

SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, hedges, border planting, rock gardens, greenhouse forcing, ground cover, bonsai.

Deutzia Saxifragaceae

This is a heavy flowering shrub with a compact, plump shape. The flowers, resembling small hoop skirts or bells, cover the plant almost completely. Colors vary with varieties, white, pink, and pink with red touches.

CARE. Will grow and flower in some shade. Accepts most any soil. Needs drainage. Most varieties are hardy.

PROPAGATION. Both green-wood and hardwood cuttings, layers, seeds in spring.

SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, hedges, greenhouse forcing.

Euonymus Celastraceae Burning Bush

Sizes can vary from dwarf shrubs to medium-size trees. Sometimes it is evergreen, but is more likely to be deciduous. Simple, opposite leaves; clusters of small flowers in spring. Has showy fruit which turns red in fall and opens to drop the seeds. Has brilliant red coloring in autumn.

CARE. Grows in ordinary soil and does well in shade (bright sun makes for better colors in fall). Most varieties are hardy.

PROPAGATION. Seeds (sown in spring), layering, hardwood cuttings.

SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, pots, dish gardens, rock gardens, hedges.

Fothergilla Hamamelidaceae Bottle Brush

Native American shrub, deciduous with alternate coarse-toothed leaves, hazel-like in appearance and brilliant in fall colors. During the flowering season blooms of a lustrous white resemble shaggy dust mops. It is slow-growing and adapts itself to bonsai treatment.

CARE. Seemingly, it requires little pampering. It likes moist situations. It is hardy and can be pruned to size and shape.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, layers (may take two years to root), and root cuttings.

SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, bonsai.

Ilex crenata helleri Aquifoliaceae Holly

Holly may be a tree or a shrub and is sometimes an evergreen. The waxy green leaves are known to anyone who has ever seen a Christmas wreath. The red berries are almost as striking. Most varieties grow slowly.

CARE. Most like rich well-drained spots. They need acid soil or the leaves turn yellow. They are hard to transplant and it should only be tried in the spring before growth starts. The deciduous varieties are easier to move, but are not so hardy. If you are buying a tree, get nursery stock that has been freshly dug. Mulch, but not near the trunks in winter because of mice. If you desire the red berries, spray with hormones. Prune yearly for shape, in winter.

PROPAGATION. Seeds (stratify, slow to germinate), cuttings of young ripe wood (root under glass).

SPECIAL USES. Hedges, rock gardens, containers, foundation planting, bonsai.

Juniperus Cypressaceae Juniper

Evergreen trees and shrubs with needles or scale leaves. Can be tall trees or prostrate shrubs that hug the ground. Foliage is a beautiful blue-green.