Trees and Shrubs for English Gardens Part 3

macrantha_ simply needs thinning. All the smaller growths in the centre should be removed. _E. philippiana_ does not like hard cutting back, but the old stumps must be cut out to make room for flowering wood.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _PEARL BUSH (Exochorda grandiflora) SHOWING ITS NATURAL BEAUTY._]

EXOCHORDA.--These usually require no pruning, but if the plants are getting too large or unshapely, they should be cut back immediately after flowering.

FATSIA (_Aralia Sieboldii_).--This is usually cut by frost, but it stands a cutting back in spring, when new growth is soon made which will flower late in the following autumn.

FOTHERGILLA.--Requires no pruning.

GARRYA ELLIPTICA.--This always flowers on the previous year's wood. Need only be thinned to ripen the new growth.

GENISTA.--_G. tinctoria_ flowers on the young wood, and should be cut back every spring. The other species of Genista should not be pruned, except to keep them in shape.

HALESIA.--These are small trees or large shrubs, and should not be shortened back, but are improved if the growths are kept thinned out, which should be done after the flowers are past.

HALIMODENDRON.--Requires no pruning.

HAMAMELIS.--Thin out regularly, as they are very apt to get thick and make weakly growths.

HEDYSARUM MULTIJUGUM.--This flowers on the young wood, and should be cut back lightly each spring. The growths can also be pegged down to improve the plant, which is apt to get straggling.

HELIANTHEMUM.--Cut away all dead flowers and seed-pods after blooming.

HIBISCUS.--Thin out in winter, but only shorten the longest shoots.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _HYDRANGEA PANICULATA GRANDIFLORA (unpruned plant)._]

HYDRANGEA.--These flower best on young wood, and should be cut down in winter. _H. paniculata grandiflora_ should _always_ be cut back to within two inches of the old wood.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _HYDRANGEA PANICULATA AND VAR. GRANDIFLORA._]

HYPERIc.u.m.--These should be cut back fairly hard in early spring, as they all flower on the young growth.

INDIGOFERA.--Cut down every spring, as they flower on the young wood.

ITEA.--Keep the growths thinned and cut away all old wood.

JAMESIA.--This should be treated as the preceding.

JASMINUM.--_J. fruticans_ and _J. humile_ are shrubs which should be thinned regularly; and _J. nudiflorum_ and _J. officinale_ are climbers, which should be spurred in after flowering.

KALMIA.--Remove seed-pods as soon as the flowers are past.

KERRIA.--Cut away the old wood to encourage the young growths, which yield the best flowers.

LABURNUM.--These should be thinned after flowering, cutting away the old or weakly wood, and shortening any long or straggling shoots.

LAVANDULA.--Cut away all flower-spikes after they are past.

LEDUM.--Remove seed-pods after flowering.

LESPEDEZA.--See DESMODIUM, which it much resembles.

LEUCOTHOe.--_L. axillaris_ and _L. Catesbaei_ flower much better if the old growths are removed and strong young shoots encouraged. The rest of the genus require no pruning.

LEYCESTERIA.--Thin out old growths every spring.

LIGUSTRUM.--_L. ovalifolium_ and its golden variety are all the better for being cut down each winter while in a young state. The remainder merely require an occasional thinning.

LIRIODENDRON.--Requires no pruning.

LONICERA.--The shrubby Loniceras are nearly all inclined to become very thick and full of weakly shoots if not well looked after. A thinning out should take place after flowering is past. The climbing Honeysuckles should only be pruned sufficiently to keep them within bounds.

LYCIUM.--These should be served the same as the shrubby Loniceras, but the operation should be performed in autumn or winter, as they flower practically all the summer.

LYONIA.--Requires no pruning.

MAGNOLIA.--Generally speaking, the Magnolias should not be pruned, but cut away useless or decaying wood. Every wound, however small, on a Magnolia should be tarred over immediately.

MICROGLOSSA.--The solitary shrubby representative of this is _M.

albescens_, which should be cut down in winter, as it flowers best on the young wood.

MYRICA.--An occasional thinning is sufficient for this genus.

MYRICARIA.--Flowering on the young wood; this should be cut back every spring.

NEILLIA.--Thin out every year after flowering is past, cutting back the old wood to strong young shoots.

NEVIUSIA.--This requires the same pruning as Neillia.

NOTOSPARTIUM.--Requires no pruning.

NUTTALLIA.--The single species of this flowers in February, and is improved by a good thinning out of the old wood when blooming is past.

OLEARIA.--Requires no pruning.

ONONIS.--_O. rotundifolia_ should be cut down every winter, as it flowers on the young wood. The remaining species flower on the older wood, and need not be touched.

OSMANTHUS.--These should not be pruned unless a particular shape is desired, when the plants may be clipped with a pair of shears in spring.

OXYCOCCUS.--This is a small creeping genus allied to Vaccinium, and requires no pruning.

OXYDENDRON.--Remove seed-pods.

PALIURUS.--This attains the dimensions of a small tree, and should be kept trimmed up for that purpose.

PARROTIA.--Thin out in spring after the flowers are past.

PAULOWNIA.--Keep to a single stem to a height of about 8 feet, and then allow it to branch. If used for sub-tropical bedding, it should be cut down to the ground every winter.