THE 



ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN 

 AND HOME GROUNDS 



ABELIA. Beautiful shrubs, of the 

 Honeysuckle order, little grown in our 

 country, thriving in warm districts. 

 They form a small group from the hills 

 of China and Japan, the uplands of 

 India, and Mexico. In mild districts, 

 with light soil, in sheltered corners or 

 on warm walls, they do best. Their 

 flowers, in drooping clusters, last long, 

 and the coloured sepals retain their 

 beauty far into the autumn. Layers or 

 cuttings. 



A. CHINENSIS (Rock A.). A pretty 

 shrub, usually of dense growth, 3 to 5 feet 

 high. The hardiest kind to do well needs 

 a warm, light soil and a sheltered spot. 

 The flowers, about an inch long, are in 

 clusters of a pale blush colour, fragrant. 

 Syn. A . rupestris. 



A. FLORIBUNDA (Mexican A.). A beau- 

 tiful shrub, but save in warm, southern 

 and western parts must be grown under 

 glass. The flowers come in spring as 

 drooping clusters from every joint, rose or 

 rosy-purple, about 2 inches long, and hang 

 for many weeks upon the plant. Mexico. 



A. GRANDIFLORA (Hybrid A.). Said to 

 be a hybrid, and is handsome but not 

 quite hardy, even in the south. Best on 

 a low, sunny wall, on which it flowers well, 

 and for a long period. 



A. SERRATA (Dwarf A.). A dwarf ever- 

 green bush upon dry and sunny hillsides 

 in China and Japan. It is smaller in all 

 its parts than the other Chinese species, 

 growing little more than 3 feet high, with 

 solitary pale red flowers, large and sweet. 

 Spring. 



A. SPATHULATA (Twin-flowering A.). 

 An elegant evergreen shrub. Flowers in 

 April ; white, marked with yellow in the 

 tube ; in pairs from every joint, and about 

 an inch long. 



A. TRIFLORA (Indian A.). A lovely 

 shrub, best on a wall. The flowers, 

 coming in threes at the end of summer, 

 are cream or pale yellow flushed with 

 pink. India. 



ABIES (Silver Fir}. Beautiful ever- 

 green trees of northern and moun- 

 tainous regions, many hardy in our 

 country. Some of the Indian and 

 Japanese Silver Firs in our country 

 suffer by starting too early in open 

 winters and harsh springs. In their 

 own frost-bound mountain lands the 

 young shoots start when all danger is 

 past. A remedy for this is the selection 

 of exposed positions which will not 

 encourage early growth, and also not 

 making the soil so rich as is the rule. 

 As with many of the conifers, the usual 

 way is to put them apart as " speci- 

 mens," but that, from an artistic point 

 of view, and that of their health, is not 

 the best. Where there is room, they 

 should be grouped. 



There is confusion of names, owing 

 to the American kinds having been sent 

 over under various names. The follow- 

 ing selection includes the best for our 

 country so far as the trees are known. 

 There are variegated sorts which are 

 given names ; they are useless to those 

 who seek the natural dignity of the 

 tree. 



A. BALSAMEA (Balsam Fir). A slender 

 northern forest Fir rarely attaining a 

 height of more than 80 feet, and much 

 smaller in high Arctic regions. Hardy in 

 our country. N. America. 



A. BRACHYPHYLLA (Jesso Silver Fir). A 

 handsome and hardy tree, over 100 feet 

 high, with bright green foliage and short 

 leaves. The densely crowded leaves are 

 very silvery underneath, and the effect of 

 a healthy tree good. Japan. 



A. BRACTEATA (Santa Lucia Fir). A 

 stately tree, often 150 feet high in its 

 native country. The foliage is long and 

 rather scattered, sharply pointed. It is 

 injured in some districts by growing too 

 early in the spring. N.W. America. 



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