THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



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and creeper-vine, are, for general purposes, the best that can be had. 

 They train themselves. They may be cut trim, square, and sharp, 

 or left to festoon the gables and chimneys at their own free will, 

 and in any way are beautiful. The deep ruddy glare of the creeper 

 in autumn is scarcely equalled by any tint of earth or sky — it is a 

 sunset photographed. It is a matter of no small importance to 

 adapt climbing plants to the positions they are to occupy. A few 

 comparisons will illustrate the whole case. Search out, in spring, 

 a great old wistaria in bloom upon a red-brick wall, and the con- 

 trast of the pale-blue flowers, the delicate glossy green leaves, and 

 the russet ground-work, will be delightful. Now find another 

 wistaria equally flowery, trained on a grey wall of stucco, or reddish 

 stone, and the tameness of the picture will surprise one who has 



i 



never before paid attention to the subject. But if, on that same 

 red-brick wall, and on the same stone or stuccoed wall, we find, six 

 weeks afterwards, a bonny breadth of Boursault roses in bloom, 

 the tables will be turned ; on the dull red ground the roses are 

 robbed of their beauty ; on the bright grey wall they show their 

 colour in perfection, and are as appropriate, so far as colour is 

 concerned, as the most exacting critic could desire. It is another 

 matter, and one of equal importance to that of tasteful adaptation, 

 that climatal conditions should have due consideration. The lovely 

 blue passion-flower may barely live on a cold soil in a north aspect, 

 but the "ivy-green" will not despise such a home. Roses will 

 scarcaly thrive in any aspect on a hungry sand, but cotoneaster, 



October. 



