SPIRAEAS FOR PLANTING. 



431 



ed in a late number of the Horticulturist, 

 and wfiose chief beauty consists in their 

 wonderful flowers. The Euphorbias, which 

 are of a fleshy, thorny growth in all colors 

 and shapes, and which add g"reatly to a col- 

 lection ; and also the Aloes with their spot- 

 ed leaves ; the Gasterias and Haworthias 



and all the other succulents. Then there is 

 the Ag-ave family or Century plants, of 

 which there are a great many varieties, and 

 many of which are quite attractive, but these 

 and many others cannot be mentioned here, 

 as this article is already too long. 



Woodstock Ont. J. H. Callander. 



SPIRAEAS FOR PLANTING. 



^HE woody Spiraeas are among the 

 most desirable shrubs for the lawn, 

 the garden, or the hardy border of 



^pj shrubbery. Their time of bloom- 

 ing extends over several months, beginning 

 in the early spring and lasting through the 

 summer. By a proper selection of species 

 and varieties continuous bloom may be 

 secured. They are easily cultivated, will 

 grow in almost any soil, are perfectly hardy, 

 and most of them are profuse bloomers. 



There are many sorts difi^ering in size, in 

 foliage, in manner of growth and of bloom. 

 The name spiraea was used by Theophrastus 

 and is supposed to be from the Greek speiras, 

 to wind, alluding to the fitness of the plants 

 for forming its garlands, but many of the 

 species now cultivated have a stiflF, erect 

 manner of growth. 



The foliage of the spiraeas is exceedingly 

 diversified and many species are named from 

 peculiarities of the leaves, or from their re- 

 semblance to those of other plants. There 

 is callosa, the callous-leaved; cana, the hoary- 

 leaved; ceanothifolia, the ceanothus-leaved; 

 ulmifolia, elm-leaved; prunifolia, the prunus 

 or plum-leaved; salicifolia, the willow-leaved; 

 sorbifolia, the sorbus-leaved ; and many 

 others too numerous to mention. In the 

 color of the foliage there is also a great var- 

 iety; some species have yellowish-green 

 leaves, some bright, vivid green; apifolia var. 

 aurean has golden yellow tinted foliage, and 



to some species the autumn brings bright 

 tints which last a long time. 



The manner of blooming is also much di- 

 versified. Some species have long, drooping 

 sprays of leaf and bloom, two feet or more in 

 length ; in others the flowers in clusters 

 thickly scattered over the bushes. Some 

 bear tiny blossoms in stiff", upright spikes 

 and panicles, others in flat corymbs, and 

 still others in soft and feathery plumes. 

 Some species have single flowers, others 

 have blossoms as double as miniature roses. 



In color the blossoms of the spiraeas are 

 usually white, or pink of various shades 

 deepening into rose, carmine and crimson. 



Spiraeas sometimes require a year or two 

 after planting to develop their characteristics, 

 and they should not be condemned if they 

 do not quite meet one's expectations the first 

 time they bloom ; the yellojv foliaged varie- 

 ties, especially, are much more satisfactory 

 after becoming well-established. 



The white-flowered species of spiraeas are 

 particularly eff"ective when planted among 

 shrubs which bear bright-colored blossoms, 

 or near dark-foliaged plants like the purple- 

 leaved barberry. Planted in masses, with 

 an eye to the best intermingling of colors and 

 species they present a beautiful appearance, 

 and they also make elegant low, ornamental 

 hedges. Single specimens on the lawn or in 

 the garden, with plenty of room for develop- 

 ment make a magnificent showing in a few 



