70 About Trees, Shrubs and Climbing Plants for S.A. 



Bougainvillaeas All the varieties known in South Africa are 

 vigorous ramblers if allowed to go, but when kept in bush 

 form, as single specimens, and allowed to droop on to the 

 grass at will, all are effective, and in the warmer districts, 

 or where there is good shelter^ are very free bloomers. B. 

 glabra is a rich blue purple, B. braziliensis ranges from 

 scarlet to brick red, varying with soils. B. splendens is ma- 

 genta, and B. sanderiana a pale magenta. The two first are 

 the most desirable. This plant is sometimes used to climb 

 up an old tree stump, and we know of some plants which 

 have climbed fully 60 feet and form most brilliant festoons 

 of bloom in late Winter and up to Christmas. A frost of 10 

 will cut them a little. 



Bouvardias are for warm districts only, for they will not stand 

 any frost or cold winds. Curiously enough they are not suc- 

 cessful on the South African Coast, and seem to prefer the 

 drier atmosphere of warm Midlands. The flowers are borne 

 on the ends of young shoots, and are flat corymbs of stars, 

 white, yellow, pink, and red, of great beauty. The plants are 

 almost too delicate for the shrubbery, and are better fitted 

 for a perennial border. 4 to 6 feet. 



*Broom (Genista) The yellow flowering "Spanish" and "Eng- 

 lish " Brooms are well known, and useful shrubs, vigorous 

 everywhere. G. andreana and G. proecox are a littte more 

 delicate, and of smaller growth, with darker spots on the 

 flowers. The white Portugal Broom bears pure white flowers 

 in great profusion, and is well worth a place in the shrub- 

 bery foreground for floral effect, as well as being a good large 

 rockery plant. Height 4 to 10 feet. 



Brugmansia Jcnightii (Moonflower) Suitable for Coast and warm 

 districts only, as a 10 frost will kill it down. However, it 

 revives rapidly from this effect, sending up strong shoots 

 very quickly from the base again. The flowers are very large, 

 pendulous, pure white, and have an almost overpowering but 

 delightful lily-scent. A very free bloomer from September 

 to March. 15 feet. 



Brunfelsia (Francisea) Compact growing shrubs, with plentiful 

 deep green leaves, and covered from September to the end of 

 the year with multitudes of glorious purple flowers of various 

 shades. As the flowers grow older they fade to creamy white, 

 and the effect of new and old flowers, of all shades on the 

 plant, is quite unique. The various species differ chiefly in 

 shade and size of flowers. B. americana has large yellow 

 flowers. The flowers of B. magnifica are not so freely pro- 

 duced as with B. exemia, but they are much larger some- 

 times measuring 3 inches across. Height, 5 to 8 feet Fairly 

 hardy. 



*Buadleia B. veitchiana, B. magnifica, and B. variabilis are Wei? 

 worth a place in all shrubberies Foliage is grey-green 

 spear-shaped, and very large trusses of lilac flowers are pro- 



