336 



JODBNAL OF HOBTICDLTUBE iNU COTTAGE QABDENER. 



I May 3, 18T7. 



fruit much resembles the Strawberry. This ehmb grows to 

 the height of 10 feet. 



Buxns sempervirens (Tree Box). — This is an excellent and 

 most neefnl shrub, for it will flourieh under the shade and 

 drip of trees and shrubs of larger growth. 



Cotoneasters. — The principal beauty of the trailing species 

 ooneists in their close growth and the numerous bright berries, 

 which continue all winter. These trailing evergreens are use- 

 ful for mounds, banks, rockeries, or low walls. 



Daphne Lanreola (Wood Laurel) is an old but handsome 

 low-growing shrub with sweet-scented flowers. It will do well 

 planted in the shade of other trees in town or country gardens. 



Enonymns japonicns is always beautiful. The variegated 

 kinds are lovely, superseding the Holly in the London gardens ; 

 but they are not so hardy as the green kind. 



Ulex europsons flore-pleno (Double Furze) is worthy of a 

 place in every shrubbery, not only for its delicate green foliage, 

 but for its eweet-smelUng and abundant flowers. It almost 

 gives the appearance of a " bit of the country " brought to 

 town when planted in large masses. 



The Holly. — Of all the shrubs for ornamenting the lawn or 

 affording shelter and retirement to the pleasure walk it has no 

 equal, and all kinds thrive to perfection in almost any situa- 

 tion. Both the green and variegated Hollies are quite at 

 home in sunshine and in shade, and form graceful ornaments. 

 They are lively in winter when covered with berries, and are 

 always highly appreciated at Christmas. 



Mahonia japonica, M. aqnifolia, M. Bealii, and a few others 

 have magnificent foliage, and they are not surpassed by any 

 other hardy shrubs. They form dense bushes of lively green. 

 During early spring they are covered with bright flowers, 

 which are succeeded by bunches of Grape-like berries. They 

 will grow under trees, and for this purpose they are becoming 

 popular for game cover, and the more so as the berries are 

 food for pheasants. Mahonias thrive well in London gardens. 



Ligustrums (Privet) are both useful and attractive when 

 they attain to a good size. Ligustrum luoidum, L. semper- 

 virens, and L. japonicum I can strongly recommend for town 

 squares and gardens. 



Phillyreas. — These are hardy, bear smoke well, and grow in 

 poor soil as well as any shrub in a town garden. The best for 

 general purposes are P. anguetifolia and P. latifolia. The first- 

 named is most commonly met with. It forms dense masses of 

 rich dark green verdure all the year round. 



Bhododendrons are the most shswy and beautiful of ever- 

 greens. They succeed well in the parks and gardens of Lon- 

 don, but require special treatment in order to have them in 

 perfection. They must be planted in peat, and when growing 

 in an open exposed situation it is requisite to water them fre- 

 quently, or their flower buds wither without expanding. 



Viburnum Tinus (Laurnstinne).- — This shrub grows best in 

 an exposed situation, and will thrive in any loamy soil. It 

 frequently continues flowering all through the winter. It is 

 highly ornamental in shrubberies and on lawns, and if it 

 should be out down by severe frost it will shoot again from the 

 roots. It should never be allowed to grow too large, for young 

 plants flower much better and maintain a more compact and 

 healthy appearance than very large and old shrubs. 



Taxus (Yews). — There are several distinct varieties of these, 

 and during all stages of growth they are acceptable ornaments. 

 The Irish Yew (Taxus hibernica) is always a striking object 

 in consequence of its upright habit, and can be introduced 

 with great effect in certain points— garden or pleasure-ground 

 plantations. 



Cratffigus Pyraoantha (Evergreen Thorn). — Although this is 

 generally planted against a wall it will stand alone, and may 

 be grown as a bush, and will glow all winter with a profusion 

 of scarlet fruits. 



The shrubs contained in this list will be suEBcient to make 

 the garden cheerful in winter, but it will always be found that 

 the best assortment of evergreens has a certain dullness 

 during the spring and early summer months unless relieved by 

 deciduous shrubs, which have livelier tints of green and bright 

 blossoms. The addition of these is a great advantage in 

 rendering the garden cheerful and gay at an appropriate 

 period. The first of deciduous shrubs that I will mention as 

 flourishing well in the London parks is the Mezereon ; it has 

 long adorned the shrubbery with its beauty. The Naked- 

 flowering Jasmine (J. nudiflorum) and Forsythiaviridissima — 

 produce bright garlands of yellow flowers freely. The Cydonia 

 japonica or the Japan Quince is a favourite, and is unrivalled 

 as a spring-flowering shrub when trained against a wall or as a 



round bush, as it is grown in some of the parks. Where the 

 brilliant crimson flowers of the species and the white variety 

 (alba) are seen in proximity the effect is very pleasing. Eibes 

 — of which there are red, white, and yellow varieties — are in- 

 valuable for producing early flowers. One of the most effective 

 is B. sanguinenm, which is highly ornamental ; so is the yet 

 more delicate white-flowering Kibes niveum, the waxy bells of 

 which contrast with sober Laurels and the dark-leaved Holly. 



Amongst more noble forms of vegetation that attract, one 

 of the most welcome is the Almond (Amygdalns communis) 

 and its varieties, with their delicate rose, white, and blush- 

 tinted flowers, all of them powerfuUy fragrant. The double- 

 flowering Peaches are amongst the early bloomers, and are 

 general favourites. Other flowering shrubs which are admired 

 in the parks are the beautiful double-flowering Plnms and 

 Cherries. 



Magnolia conspicua, with flowers large and fragrant, succeeds 

 admirably. Cratfegns oxyacantha also succeeds well, but we 

 mnst wait till the middle of May before we see this genus in 

 perfection in company with the Laburnum with its yellow 

 blossoms hanging over Lilacs and Guelder Boses, which unite 

 in forming an attractive combination. About this time the 

 Deutzia scabra shows its pearly buds. Weigela rosea will 

 be covered with gay pink flowers, and the Mock Orange, the 

 Syringa, is very much esteemed on account of the fragrance 

 of its white flowers. The common yellow Broom everyone 

 knows, and the effect of it in a shrubbery need scarcely be 

 described ; there is a white sort remarkably handsome, which 

 blooms in the London parks all through the month of May. 

 Daring the summer the Bose Acacia (Bobinia hispida) produces 

 its rose-coloured pea-shaped flowers, and is highly esteemed 

 both in town or country. 



Althaea Frutex is a beautiful shrub which thrives in London. 

 There are several varieties. The colours are red, white, purple, 

 some flowers being striped and blotched ; they are produced 

 on the young wood, and somewhat resemble a single Hollyhock. 

 Hypericum nepalense is the best of this fine group of yellow- 

 flowering shrubs ; it is popularly referred to by some of the 

 Londoners as the " Yellow Fuchsia." Spirfeasare useful for the 

 mixed shrubbery. There are several kinds, most of them of 

 an elegant habit. The flowers are much used for dinner-table 

 decoration, for which purpose they are very appropriate. — 

 N. Cole, Kensington. 



NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



ApEn. has passed away, and the " merrie month of May " is 

 ushered in. Everyone, whether engaged in gardening pursuits 

 or not, hails the coming of April with anticipations .of pleasure 

 on account of the great benefit vegetation generally derives from 

 its flitting Bunshiue and qnickeniog showers. It came to us this 

 year in its usual form, and with it the opening buds responded 

 for a time to the returning warmth of the sun's influence. The 

 notes of the nightingale and cuckoo have also been heard, but 

 save and except these signs of spring we should have thought 

 we were passing through the trying, bleak, and thirsty east 

 vrinds of March. 



So ungenial has been the greater part of April that vegetation 

 of all kinds, from the lofty Elm down to the small Cabbage seed 

 germinating in the ground, are very little forwarder than they 

 were three weeks since. The ground being sometimes so com- 

 pletely saturated with heavy thunderstorms, and then so rapidly 

 dried by the winds almost to baking, it has been a very trying 

 time for all kitchen-garden operations, and it is requisite that the 

 hoe be used freely amongst all growing crops, more especially 

 through such as Onions, Parsnips, Carrots, Cabbage, and Kale 

 of sorts. Parsley, &c., not only for the purpose of destroying 

 weeds, but for loosening the soil to admit the air and future 

 rains, which are so necessary to the well-being of all those 

 crops. Place sticks to Peas which are sufficiently forward, and 

 draw the earth on each side of advancing crops. Our first crop 

 of William I. and Dickson's First and Best are looking well, 

 but had it not been for giving them some protection during the 

 late bleak weather they would have been greatly injured. Sow 

 more Peas for succesBion, and if birds are at all troublesome 

 protect either with Pea-protectors or old fish nets. We could 

 not grow a Pea were wo not to protect from the sparrows. It is 

 not often that sparrows eat them after sticks are placed to the 

 rows. Veitch's Perfection, Champion of England, and Ne Plus 

 Ultra are good sorts for present sowing. The first does not re- 

 quire such long sticks as the latter two. The sorts named are 

 prolific and excellent in quality, and it is on this account we 

 recommend them. Seven feet should be allowed between the 

 rows of the tall growers ; a sowing of Spinach can be sown 

 between the rows, so that the space is not wasted. Make 

 another owing of Broad Beans needed also th« main sowing 



