92 MY SHRUBS 



makes swift growth. The flower is pale pink, the fruit as large as 

 your fist. It succeeds with me, but to see it in perfection a visit 

 to our cliffs is necessary, where, in a public garden, it surpasses 

 itself. 



The great race of the Pieris attain in some cases to trees among 

 our glades. My favourites of this far-scattered genus are the 

 white-flowered P.florihunda, from the United States, with P.formosa 

 and the pink-flowered P. nitiduy from Japan. P. cassincejolia and 

 P,pulverulentay from the Southern United States, when prosperous, 

 are superb, deciduous Andromedas, with large white bells for 

 blossoms. P. japonica flowers generously and grows finely. Its 

 spring foliage, in crests of red above the green, is a feature of this 

 shrub. 



Pinus canariensis will succeed here in a snug corner. My 

 custom is to shorten the main branch, which soon loses the sky- 

 blue colour that gives the fir its charm. Then younger points 

 spring up, and you get a most effective shrubby bush of azure 

 hue. The pigmy P. montana and the neat little P. " TanyoshOy'* 

 from Japan, must go into your rockery along with the beautiful 

 dwarf, P. Strobus — a real gem. 



Of PimeleUy from Australia, I have secured seed which has not 

 yet germinated. To discuss these admirable and beautiful shrubs 

 on this foundation would be vain ; but Piptanihus nepalensis has 

 long prospered here, and, though some do not admire its pale 

 yellow, laburnum-like blossoms, they please me well enough. 

 From the temperate Himalaya comes this effective evergreen. 



Pistacia LentiscuSy the mastic-tree, is a handsome evergreen of 

 economic value but no great garden interest. It grows but slowly 

 in our climate — a charge not to be brought against Pittosporum. 



