Jane 2S, 1877. ) 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



WEEKLY CALENDAR. 



EABLY SUMMER FLOWERS. 

 " Earth, in her rich attire 

 Consummate lovely, smiled." 



A-ij^=pA HIS expression of the sublime Milton comes 

 i ' 'i^'IK^^ back to the mintl with peculiar significance 



at this season of the year when everything 

 in nature is fresh, and bright, and gay. The 

 young foliage of deciduous trees now fully 

 expanded gives back to the landscape that 

 aspect of warmth and richness which de- 

 parted with the winds of autumn ; bright 

 shines the sun ; loud, clear, and sweet ring 

 the songs of the birds, and at no season of 

 the year is life in the open air quite so enjoyable as now. 

 But remember that all these sources of real pleasure spring 

 solely from Nature, the handiwork of man has nothing 

 to do with them ; and therefore it seems to me that the 

 present time, while the mind is fully alive to such in- 

 fluences, is most suitable for the inquiry. Do you turn 

 from the contemplation of natural scenery to the more 

 refined aspect of your gardens with feelings of real enjoy- 

 ment — of growing pleasure ? or do you, on the contraiy, 

 experience a sense of something wanting — of oppressive- 

 ness from the dull formal aspect of monotonous lines of 

 evergreens, unrelieved by any bright or softening in- 

 fluence ? In the latter case I shall but give expression to 

 your feehngs when I say that your garden is not what it 

 ought to be. Now, if ever, when Nature herself is so 

 genial, a garden should abound in beauty, and it is my 

 intention in this paper to show liow this beauty is mostly 

 derived from plants and shrubs that are permanent occu- 

 pants of the garden, and which once established become 

 more and more attractive as they increase in size. 



If my readers will accompany me in a stroll about the 

 gardens I have no doubt we shall find many a floral gem, 

 for which I hope to induce them to find space in their 

 own gardens. We are attracted at our very outset by 

 the first opening flowers of that useful Tea Rose Safrano, 

 quite an indispensable variety from the exquisite beauty 

 of its half-opened buds, but so disappointing in the thin 

 ragged appearance of its expanded blossom that it ought 

 never to occupy a too promiuent position, for which rea- 

 son we find it trained upon one of the garden buildiogs ; 

 and it is well that the tree is large and vigorous, for it 

 will undergo a severe backing so long as it affords a 

 flower bud. Mark now a useful lesson here : this Rose, 

 with several otlirr Teas and Noisettes, is trained upon a 

 north aspect to afl'ord a supply of cut flowers in succession 

 to those earlier blooms which we obtain from warmer 

 and more sunny positions, and among such growing 

 upon a western aspect we find Narcisti laden with charm- 

 ing clusters of flowers of great fulness and perfect form, 

 combined with richness and extreme delicacy of colour- 

 ing, tlie shading from a golden centre to tlie most delicate 

 tint of yellow on the outer petals being so marvellous in 

 its perfection and finish as to be really indescribable. A 

 little further on upon the gable of a building is a flourish- 

 ing tree of Marechal Niel laden with its magnificent, 



No. S18 -Vot. XXXII., New Seeies. 



large, globular, deep yellow flowers. Grand alike in 

 foliage and blossom it most worthily takes rank as our 

 finest yellow Rose, which from its free rampant growth 

 covers a large area of wall- space quickly, and is quite one 

 of the best climbers for a lofty building. 



As we pass along we notice occasional examples of 

 double yellow Gorse that have grown from nursery plants 

 of a foot high into large specimens in four years. They 

 have been perfect masses of rich golden yellow for the 

 past two months, producing an effect of such brightness 

 that some care and forethought as to future effects is 

 required when they are planted. With this care it is 

 found most useful, to relieve the monotony of a dense 

 growth of evergreens, to mingle-in the fringe of deciduous 

 growth ; to plant singly to form specimens among Conifers 

 or shrub masses on extensive lawns; to clothe the sides of 

 deep cuttings with perennial greenery while giving relief 

 to the steep, flat, wall- like aspect of the bare earth ; to 

 impart the charm of variety to shrub-growth among bold 

 masses of rock, and to form large clumps to give variety 

 to a landscape. I have only made one large clump, but 

 it has been so much hked that at least two more are to 

 be made next season. This clump, planted three years 

 ago upon the crest of a slope fully exposed, is now some 

 o feet high, anil quite impenetrable to cattle. When in 

 full bloom it is so bright as to attract attention at a 

 distance of more than a mile ; so that if not well placed so 

 as to harmonise with its situation and surroundings it is 

 quite certain to prove offensive rather than ornamental. 



Leaving the now faded Goree flowers, we are attracted 

 by the gay appearance of an artificial bank made to con- 

 ceal a drying-ground and wood-yard and planted with 

 white Broom, Rhododendron ponticum, Weigela rosea, 

 Lilacs, and piuk Thorn. All these are now in full beauty, 

 and with them are mingled thousands of the rich yellow 

 flowers of the common Broom, a spontaneous growth 

 of which has sprung up in the freshly-stirred soil and 

 flourished so wonderfully that their flowers now take a 

 leading rather than a subordinate position ; and although 

 imparting a feature which was not intended the efl'ect is 

 really very beautiful — something like that of a Battersea 

 Park flower bed on a large scale. Here let me call especial 

 attention to the chaste appearance of the floweis of the 

 white Broom: borne as they are on long flexible brancbes 

 swayed by every passing breeze, nothing can be more 

 graceful or striking. They blend well with other shrubs, 

 and also make excellent irregular clumps on the sides 

 of steep elopes. The effect of a few large specimens in 

 clumps of Rhododendron ponticum is very pleasing, not 

 only in the contrast of white Broom flowers with the 

 various shades of lilac and pink which this Rhododendron 

 allbrds, but in the elegant feathery growth of the Broom 

 springing out of the dense compact greeuery of the Rhodo- 

 dendron. An island surrounded by a piece of ornamental 

 water has been so planted, and the effect is so charming 

 that I am induced to draw especial attention to it. 



Too much cannot be said in praise of the Weigela 

 rosea, its pink buds and large clutter of apple-like blossom 

 forming an appropriate crest to its green foliage. It is 

 No. lEOO.— Vol. LVII., Old Seeies 



