12 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



In an area no flowers would do so well aa the common Wall- 

 flower. Seeds of it should be sown, and plants planted, in every 

 spare piece of ground, and at the bottom of the walls. An excellent 

 fern case could be built in an area. It has just the amount of 

 shade and coolness required by ferns. There in a neat glass case, 

 to protect them from dust, they would thrive well. 



The Virginian creeper and the Grape vine should be planted and 

 trained over the area walls in conjunction with the Ivy and Wisteria 

 sinensis. The last is an excellent town plant, and though it may 

 not produce its lovely clusters of mauve pea-shaped flowers, still, its 

 elegant drooping branches and pinnatifid pea-green foliage has a 

 very pleasing effect. 



The Virginian creeper is the best of all climbing plants for town 

 gardens. It drapes the walls and balcony railings with a dense 

 living green all through the summer, changing after August into 

 different shades of rich brown and fiery crimson. It should be 

 planted and trained over every unsightly gable and bare wall. The 

 common Grape vine also makes a capital town plant, contrasting well 

 with the Virginian creeper. They should both be planted in the 

 area below, and a barrowful or two of good rich soil given them to 

 make a fair start. As they grow they can be trained up the walls, 

 anywhere you wish them to grow. They may also be grown in 

 wooden tubs and placed upon the balcony, where they can be draped 

 along the railings, or trained over the walls, or round the windows. 

 The common Ivy is an excellent town climber, ready to adapt itself 

 to all circumstances, covering walls, draping railings, hanging in 

 graceful festoons from baskets, or making trained specimens in pots. 

 Its evergreen leathery-textured foliage has ever a warm cheerful 

 look, and. should always be grown in conjunction with the Grape 

 vine and Virginian creeper, which are deciduous, that is, they lose 

 their foliage in autumn. These are the balcony and area climbing 

 plants " par excellence." No other climbers succeed so well as they 

 do, although the Honeysuckle, Ayrshire Roses, Crimson Boursault 

 Rose, Gloire de Dijon, Charles Lawson, and several other climbing 

 roses, do very well in towns where the situation is open and airy. 

 The several varieties of hardy Clematis can also be had to flower 

 nicely in the same position ; as also the Jasminum officinalis or 

 common Jasmine, and the Cotoneaster microphylla, having a profusion 

 of reddish berries. 



Of annual flowering creepers the best are the gaudy Nasturtiums, 

 the pretty canary creeper, Tropceolum canariensis, the Scarlet Run- 

 ners, and purple and white Convolvulus ; to which we may add, 

 though not an annual, the Lophospermum scandens, a very good 

 greenhouse trailing plant, suitable for balconies and basket-work. 

 The other are grand for draping railings, embowering windows, and 

 twining round baskets with wreaths of blossoms and foliage. They 

 require the aid of twine or wire trellis to cling to, and should be 

 sown in boxes of rich soil and have a liberal supply of water. 



For large specimen plants for the furnishing of balconies and 

 areas, nothing can surpass the Rhododendron when in flower. Its 

 magnificent heads of bloom, produced in luxuriant abundance, give 



