4 Yew- Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 



ornamental gardening. If planted judiciously, and 

 allowed free scope for its growth, it challenges all 

 other evergreen trees for gracefulness of form. A 

 tree of two hundred to two hundred and fifty years 

 old, standing alone and well-grown, is one of the 

 most beautiful of British trees. But it is peculiarly 

 sensitive to overcrowding, and if light and air be 

 excluded by the pressure of other trees, its lower 

 branches soon die off, and the perfectness of its 

 form is marred. 



When planted skilfully and arranged in contrast 

 with other trees, it is capable of producing charming 

 effects. 



Mr. W. Robinson says:^ 'When, after a very 

 hard winter, we see the evergreen trees of the 

 garden in mourning, and perhaps many a stem 

 dead, as happens to Laurels, Laurustinuses, and 

 often even the Bay, it is a good time to consider 

 the hardiness and other good qualities of our 

 British evergreens, and the many forms raised 

 from them. If we are fortunate enough to have 

 old Yew-trees near us, we do not find that a hard 

 winter makes any difference to them, even winters 

 that sear the evergreen Oak. We have collected 

 within the past two hundred years evergreen trees 

 from all parts of the northern world, but it is doubt- 

 ful if any of them are better than the common Yew, 

 which, when old, is often picturesque, and which 



^ The Wild Garden, p. 268. 



