34 



THE BOOK OF CLIMBING PLANTS 



florus has the finest flowers, and it is of less rampant 

 growth above than latifolius, though it makes up for 

 this by running a great deal at the roots. It must thus 

 be planted where it is not likely to encroach on other 

 things. It has rose flowers of considerable size, pro- 

 duced generally in pairs. Quite distinct is the broad- 

 leaved Everlasting Pea, L. latifolius. The typical form 

 has rose flowers, but there are also a number of pretty 

 varieties, such as albus, white ; delicatus, pale pink , 

 and splendens, deep rose. It is a vigorous grower in a 

 dry sunny place, and does well in a hedge when once 

 established. Other good perennial Peas are nervosus, 

 blue-purple, and rotundifolius, rose ; pubescens is a 

 charming pale-blue Lathyrus, which must either be 

 grown in a cool house, or on a trellis or a wall in warm 

 localities. All of these can be raised from seeds, or 

 propagated by division, but the named or white varieties 

 of L. latifolius cannot be relied upon to come true from 

 seed. One generally associates these in one's mind 

 with the Calystegias and Convolvulus. Among the 

 former there are two very ornamental plants, Calystegia 

 dahurica, with large pink flowers, and C. pubescens 

 fl. pi., with pretty pink or whitish flowers. Like the 

 Convolvulus, the Calystegia is a twining plant. Of 

 the Convolvuluses, there may be named althaeoides, a 

 low^ twiner, with rosy-purple blooms and silvery leaves ; 

 Scammonia, a handsome cream-coloured one ; and tenu- 

 issimus, a pink, low twiner. Pretty as are the flowers 

 of our common Convolvulus of the hedgerows, it ought 

 not to be allowed to enter the garden on account of its 

 encroaching habit of undergrowth. A twining plant 

 not often seen is Cynananchum acutum, which has pink 

 or white flowers. Of somewhat similar growth is the 

 greenish-white Berchemia volubilis, which is, however, 

 of shrubby habit. The Actinidias are also ornamental 

 climbers not much cultivated, and the best among them 



