Fast Growing Ever Greens Sitemap

Author's Note - The purpose of this book is twofold; it combines the necessary information for the successful growing of evergreens, together with suggestions for their uses in the planting scheme.

The book opens with a discussion of the landscape value of these impor­tant woody ornamentals in garden-making. This is followed by a chapter on espalier, bonsai, and topiary work.

Acknowledgments - My sincere thanks go to Dr. John M. Fogg, Jr., Director of the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, for his constructive criticism of Part I and a portion of Part II. I am also grateful to Dr. Patricia Van Burgh Allison and Miss Mary O. Milton—members of Dr. Fogg's staff— for their splendid assistance. I am deeply indebted to the many men and women who answered my questionnaire, making the Reports on Evergreens from the States and from Canada a reality.

01. Work Miracles - Not long ago, on a cold, drizzly day in January, I sat looking out at my garden, longing for spring. It is not a large garden—the houses in my neighborhood, as in so many neighborhoods nowadays, have not a great deal of ground around them. The branches of the Forsythia and the Mock Orange were bare, and the Apple tree was only a bleak skeleton. But the boundary planting of evergreens which form the garden enclosure were still dense and green. The carpet of Pachysandra and Periwinkle were vividly bright in the wet.

02. Training Evergreens - The usual concept of pruning is to trim evergreens to maintain their natural lines, to remove dead wood, and to clip for the purpose of increasing the density of the plants. However, the heritage of a different type of training has come to us through the centuries. There are three definite methods other than the ordinary pruning procedure for attaining unusual, and in many instances, charming effects. These methods of training are espalier, bonsai, and topiary work.

03. Growing Steadily - When you are planning to grow evergreens, a few pointers will guide you on your way to maximum success with these richly rewarding woody orna­mentals. They are about the most undemanding plants you can grow, but it pays to give them the conditions that are best suited to their welfare. This includes providing congenial soil, feeding, watering, and covering them with a friendly mulch to help conserve moisture and hold down the soil temperature. Judicious pruning will definitely enhance their beauty.

04. Plant Propagation - In former days many home gardeners found it difficult to increase the supply of their favorite evergreens by the usual methods of reproduction, viz., seeds, layers, and cuttings. The complexity of starting new plants has been materially lessened since the introduction of polyethylene plastic. In the field of plant propagation its use has been a real boon. No longer is a greenhouse a necessary possession for raising these plants from seeds and cuttings. Polyethylene is a substance which has the ability to retain mois­ture and to permit an exchange of gases.

05. Garden Enemies - When you are dealing with living things such as plants, the problem of combating insects and diseases is inescapable. Evergreens are no exception to the rule. However, on the bright side of the picture the gardener can now approach this phase of upkeep with real encouragement, because of the more efficacious sprays and dusts which modern research has made available.

06. Evergreens A - B - When we enter the world of evergreens we find there is almost no part of this vast country of ours where they cannot be grown. From the tender Gardenia that blossoms in the genial warmth of a Louisiana garden, to the sturdy Spruces of Alaska, and the Junipers, Pines, and other stalwart conifers that grow into Maine and Canada, these woody ornamentals abound. From the climatic extremes of the Deep South to the far northern gardens of the United States and Canada, there are countless evergreens that are well adapted to the varying degrees of cold and warmth in the different parts of the country.

07. Evergreens C - E - CALLUNA VULGARIS, Zone 4, Scotch Heather. The familiar Scotch Heather brings to mind nostalgic memories of Old World gardens, where it has been grown and loved for centuries. In the United States this plant has occupied an honored place since the days of the early settlers.

08. Evergreens F - K - FATSIA JAPONICA, Zone 7, Japan Fatsia. The large, glossy, star-shaped leaves of this handsome evergreen give a luxuriant, tropical effect to the garden. This plant can be grown in poor soil, and it is excellent for brighten­ing problem spots in the shade. Fatsia is a shrub or small tree that reaches 15 feet in height; when used as a bush it must be kept pruned to overcome its straggly growth. It can also be trained as a vine and as a cover for trellises. It can be grown at the seashore.

09. Evergreens L - O - LAURUS NOBILIS, Zone 6, Sweet Bay, Laurel, is native to the Mediter­ranean region. This is the Laurel of the ancient Romans and Greeks, who used the leaves to crown the conquering heroes. Sweet Bay is a beautiful plant with decorative, aromatic leaves which can be dried and used for seasoning purposes. In habit of growth it is either shrubby, or a small tree 40 feet or so in height. On small grounds it makes a handsome speci­men, and its dense growth provides welcome shade.

10. Evergreens P - Q - PAGHISTIMA CANBYI, Zone 5, Ganby Pachistima, is a low-growing plant native to the mountainous regions of Virginia. Since it only grows 10 or 12 inches high, it makes a charming ground cover. It is also useful for edging the evergreen border and for covering rocky slopes; in fact, it is well qualified to fill every ground cover need. Pachistima is a hardy little plant and grows in sun or partial shade. It succeeds in soil that is acid and well drained. Propagation is by division, layers, and cuttings.

11. Evergreens R - Y - RAPHIOLEPIS UMBELLATA, Zone 7, Yeddo-Hawthorn, is a slow-growing, spreading evergreen shrub with an open, irregular habit of growth. Its rich green leaves are glossy and thick. The fragrant, white flowers which appear in spring are followed by blue-black berries.

12. US Evergreens - Due to the different climatic conditions which prevail throughout the country, practical questions such as when to plant evergreens, when to prune, and whether or not to mulch them, necessarily vary widely. There­fore, as a general guide to readers in the different states, a questionnaire was sent to authoritative sources in each state (with the exception of Hawaii) and to parts of Canada. A few evergreens best adapted to the dif­ferent climatic conditions are also given.

13. Canada Evergreens - 1. WHICH ARE THE BEST SEASONS FOR PLANTING EVERGREENS IN YOUR PROVINCE? Spring is more reliable. WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO PRUNE BROAD-LEAVED EVERGREENS IN YOUR LOCAL­ITY? Those that we have are ground cover material.

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