40 THE BOOK OF CLIMBING PLANTS 



ought not by any means be allowed to climb on to the 

 roof, which it would soon destroy by inserting its 

 growths between the slates or tiles. As a wall plant 

 it is very ornamental, but its uses are even wider, as it 

 can be grown over trellises out of doors or in the house, 

 over tree stumps, and also on rockeries, for the latter 

 purpose the little Hedera H. minima being one of the 

 most suitable for covering large stones or small rocks. 

 It may be well to remind those who grow it on living 

 trees that it ought not to be allowed to grow far up the 

 trunk, but kept to within six or eight feet of the base. 



There are too many Ivies to name in detail, and only 

 a selection can be referred to, seeing that there are 

 upwards of a hundred named varieties. One of the 

 most popular of these, because of its rapid growth, is 

 H. H. canariensis, the Irish Ivy, which has very large 

 leaves, though its somewhat loose habit makes it less 

 useful where neatness is desired. There is a pretty 

 variegated form of considerable beauty. A popular large- 

 leaved variety is dentata, which has fine, heart-shaped 

 leaves and which grows freely. Another of much the 

 same character but, if anything, to be preferred, is 

 amurensis. Raegneriana is another which is a good 

 deal grown for its fine, thick, heart-shaped leaves. A 

 pretty yellowish-green Ivy is H. H. algeriensis, and it 

 also has a pleasing, variegated variety occasionally called 

 canescens. H. H. aurantia has greyish-green leaves 

 prettily veined, and cuspidata is another good one with 

 grey-green leaves. A distinct variety with rather 

 deeply-lobed, digitate leaves is H. H. digitata, and 

 lobata major is another with deeply-cut lobes. 

 Marmorata, which has a creamy white margin, is also 

 pleasing ; while sagittsefolia, deep green, rhombea, green 

 margined white, and variegata margined with silver, are 

 all very attractive. The Ivy is readily propagated by 

 cuttings in spring or autumn or by layers. 



