CLIMBERS AND THEIR ARTISTIC USE. 75 



so great that we see many cottages in Surrey and Norfolk set 

 deep in Vine leaves. The Grape Vine, however, is but one of 

 a large family, and, though we may not see in our country its 

 garlands from tree to tree purple with fruit, we may see much of its 

 fine forms of leaf. The wild Vines are too vigorous for use on walls, 

 though excellent for banks and trees and for any place outside the 

 flower garden. I have seen them clambering up forest trees, spread- 

 ing into masses of fine foliage on the ground, and sending out long 

 arms in search of the nearest trees strong and handsome climbers, 

 hardy, vigorous, and soon covering dry banks, rocks, and trees. 



To the Vines (Vitis) have now been joined by the botanists 

 Virginian Creepers (Ampelopsis), and between the two groups it need 

 not be said what noble things they offer for garlanding trees, walls, 

 bowers, rocks, and banks. It cannot be said that we neglect these 

 Virginian and Japanese creepers, but 'the Vines are so far seldom well 

 used with us, although easy of cultivation. 



There are seasons when shaded walks may be enjoyed, and 

 numbers of free-growing, climbing plants give an abundant and 

 lovely choice of living drapery for them, Aristo- 

 Pergolas. lochia, Wistaria, Virginian Creeper, rambling 

 Roses, Honeysuckles, Jasmines, and the free 

 Clematises doing well over such. In Italy and warm countries one 

 often sees in gardens the pergola as the creeper-shaded walk is 

 called serving the twofold purpose of supporting Grape Vines and 

 giving pleasant coolness during the summer heat. As a rule, these 

 pergolas are rude trellis-work structures of wood, sometimes 

 supported by stone posts where these are at hand. In the gardens 

 in the neighbourhood of Rorne, Naples, and Florence there are 

 beautiful examples of the pergola stately structures, the supports 

 of which are massive columns of stone covered and festooned 

 with Banksian Roses, Wistaria, Periploca, Clematises, Honeysuckles, 

 Passion Flowers, scarlet Trumpet Flowers, and other climbers 

 which form cool retreats in the hot days. But such pergolas 

 seldom occurred outside the gardens of the great villas, and near 

 humbler dwellings the pergola was usually a simple structure 

 made for the purpose of supporting the Grape Vine, and nearly 

 always pretty. 



These creeper-clad covered ways should usually lead to somewhere 

 and be over a frequented walk, and should not cut off any line of view 

 nor be placed near big trees, especially such trees as the Elm, whose 

 hungry roots would travel a long way to feed upon the good soil that 

 the climbers should be planted in. A simple structure is the best. 

 The supports, failing the Italian way of making posts of stone also 

 seen, by the way, in gate-posts in Northern England should be Oak 



