Confined To Just One Deutzia – What Would It Be?

It goes without saying that I cannot keep away from the deutzias at this time of year (May), though I don’t want to use up space and energy on the old familiar species. If I had to be confined to just one deutzia I know it would be D. candida, which is represented at Breeze Hill by a tremendous plant that holds the eye for several weeks. The French nurserymen have done wonders with these plants, but I rather think the American nurserymen have not yet really discovered them.

I must, of course, take into account the lilac family, which was here even before the place was called Breeze Hill, in the form of enormous old plants of what are known as the “common” varieties – if any lilac can ever be common! Quite naturally I soon began to look around among the lilacs, and it was not long before I walked ,through the Arnold Arboretum when the lilacs were its dominant feature. As to favorite varieties, I can only refer a teacher of mine, Professor Sargent, who stirred me so many times and who in this connection said, “Any dozen of the se-called French lilacs is a good dozen if it includes the shades you want.”

In discussing their colors, I immediately came to know that there are no “positive” colors in lilacs, except, of course, the whites, which strictly speaking are colorless. All the hues are soft, and the variation in size of flower and shape of panicle becomes important as one plants lilacs with the idea in mind of the overall garden picture.

I cannot very well neglect one of our best loved early garden items, the azaleas, which easily carry, over into May. There are many modern varieties sent out by the canny Hollanders that add brilliance and beauty and which should most certainly be taken into account if one is thinking out a garden picture that is really to give educative pleasure. I won’t go into the varieties for the same reason given in regard to the lilacs.

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