146 

 SOME USES OF THE lYT. 



BY KAEL PROSPEE. 



HAVE not seen, during my residence in England, that 

 one of the most beauteous of evergreen shrubs is turned 

 to such account as might be in the decoration of the 

 garden. I was first reminded of the extreme value of 

 the ivy as a garden plant, by inspecting one of your 

 London gardens, the one called Islington Green, near to where the 

 Agricultural Hall is situate, and in which the compartments are all 

 maj'ked out with broad and rich edgings of the Heclera canariensis. 

 I said within myself, whoso planted this garden knew how to manage 

 in a place so much exposed to smoke and dust ; but when I learned 

 that Mr. Hibberd had superintended the planting, my surprise 

 ceased, and I said this is what we should expect, that one who writes 

 well should work well, though it is not a rule for such to be. The 

 beauty of the ivy there is peculiar to the spot. There are two most 

 ugly-shaped plots of land, they are irregular wedge-shaped and all 

 on one side, and to give them any pleasing character, great ingenuity 

 was required. "Well, their ugliness is softened down by the marking 

 out of great compartments in curves, and all are edged with ivy, so that 

 whichever way we look we see fine curves of dark green vegetation 

 set ofi" upon the light green of the grass — this directs our cogitations 

 to the uses of the ivies in gardens. Oh dear, what expense and 

 trouble some people incur to make edgings to their flower-beds, but 

 if they would plant the lovely silver-margined ivy about two feet 

 apart all round their beds, they would have bright and beauteous 

 edgings that would be scarcely less attractive in winter than in 

 summer, and with every year would be becoming better. ]S"ow, how 

 excellent would be this plan of planting in peaty, chalky, or sandy 

 soils, where the variegation of such superb kinds as Cullisii or the 

 i\e,'^ Japanese variegated ivy would come out true and strong. The 

 beauteous variety of Hedera canariensis, called aiirea mactdata, which 

 is richly variegated, a kind of greyish yellow, would make a most grand 

 edging to a broad ribbon border, and for any terrace or geometric 

 work where twelve inches breadth could be allowed it ; though if 

 only six inches wide it would be characteristic and efiective. Then 

 there are materials among the ivies for green edgings of many kinds. 

 In places w^here box will not grow, fine edgings of ivies may be made 

 by planting the common Hedera lielix or Hedera cana7^ie?isis one yard 

 apart, and then trimming and clipping the growth as required, A fine 

 edging may be made with the Taurican ivy, called Hedera helix 

 'Taurica, which is of small growth, with neat dark green glossy leaves. 

 To train ivies to edging is one of the easiest things in the world, and 

 as it will grow in any soil, they are plants adapted for all kinds of 

 garden. To name the best kinds seems to be needless, for all are good, 

 but at some few nurseries there is a great variety to be met with, and 

 my friend Mr. Hibberd, who has an extensive collection, will always 

 tell us of the best kinds for any particular purpose. I have seen a 



