s shrub is very hardy, and of
the easiest culture, and I can recommend it to the amateur, feeling
confident that it will never fail to please.

Quite as popular as the Spirea is the Deutzia, throughout the middle
section of the northern states. Farther north it is likely to
winter-kill badly. That is, many of its branches will be injured to such
an extent that they will have to be cut away to within a foot or two of
the ground, thus interfering with a free production of flowers. The
blossoms of this shrub are of a tasselly bell-shape, produced thickly
all along the slender branches, in June. _Candidissima_ is a double
white, very striking and desirable. _Gracilis_ is the most daintily
beautiful member of the family, all things considered. _Discolor
grandiflora_ is a variety with large double blossoms, tinted with pink
on the reverse of the petals.

The Weigelia is a lovely shrub. There are white, pink, and carmine
varieties. The flowers, which are trumpet-shaped, are borne in spikes in
which bloom and foliage are so delightfully mixed that the result is a
spray of great beauty. A strong plant will be a solid mass of color for
weeks.

An excellent, low-growing, early flowering shrub is _Pyrus Japonica_,
better known as Japan Quince. It is one of our earliest bloomers. Its
flowers are of the most intense, fiery scarlet. This is one of our best
plants for front rows in the shrubbery, and is often used as a low
hedge.

[Illustration: AMERICAN IVY AND GERANIUMS]

One of our loveliest little shrubs is Daphne _Cneorum_, oftener known as
the "Garland Flower." Its blossoms are borne in small clusters at the
extremity of the stalks. They are a soft pink, and very sweet. The habit
of the plant is low and spreading. While this is not as showy as many of
our shrubs, it is one that will win your friendship, because of its
modest beauty, and will keep a place in your garden indefinitely after
it has once been given a place there.

Berberis--the "Barberry" of "Grandmother's garden"--is a most
satisfactory shrub, for several reasons: It is hardy everywhere. The
white, yellow, and orange flowers of the different varieties are showy
in spring; in fall the foliage colors finely; and through the greater
part of winter the scarlet, blue and black berries are extremely
pleasing. _Thunbergii_ is a dwarf variety, with yellow flowers, followed
by vivid scarlet fruit. In autumn, the foliage changes to scarlet and
gold, and makes the bush