THE ORCHARD BEAUTIFUL. 385 



side of the orchard bank, Primrose and Oxlip would bloom long 

 and well, and on all sides of it Daffodils, Snowflakes, Snowdrops, 

 wild Tulips, or any like bulbs to spare from the garden ; and from the 

 garden trimmings, too, tufts of Balm and Myrrh to live for ever among 

 the grass of the bank. The robin would build in the moss of the bank, 

 the goldfinch in the silvery lichen of the trees, and the thrush, near the 

 winter's end, herald the buds with noble song. 



Bold planters need not hesitate to adorn some of their orchard 

 trees with graceful climbing plants. A few of these climbers would 



be too vigorous eventually for the fruit tree, but 



Climbers on a good many are never so on vigorous orchard 



Orchard Trees. trees. The most picturesque planting I ever did 



was to put a number of white Indian Clematises 

 {C. Montana) with some orchard trees. They grew in a most 

 picturesque way, and took a different habit on almost every tree. 

 The autumn-flowering Clematis {flaniimila) is such a light grower that 

 it would not make much difference to the tree, and there are a number 

 of wild Clematis with the same light character that would not hurt 

 an orchard tree. Some of the fine-leaved Vines, too, would give a 

 dash of rich colour in the autumn, and do little harm, and some of 

 the more fragile Honeysuckles might also be tried. In the south of 

 France the common blue Passion-flower and various kinds of climbing 

 Roses will often reach out from the garden hedge and take possession 

 of the nearest trees, and Olive and Orchard trees may be seen beauti- 

 fully robed in this way. Even the hardy winter Jasmine, when 

 crowded by other things upon a bank, I have known to clamber up 

 into the branches of a little Cherry tree, with very pretty effect. One 

 of the prettiest effects I have every year is a cross, due to a plant of 

 the white travellers joy {Clematis viticella alba) growing on a double 

 Cherry tree. We first have the bloom of the cherry, and then weeks 

 after comes the fair white Clematis, flowering for weeks all over the 

 Cherry and doing no harm. 



C C 



