286 . HARDY CLIMBING SHRUBS. 



Virginia Creeper. — Ampelopsis hederacea. — ^This is perfectly 

 hardy everywhere, and being a rapid grower will soon cover the 

 desired space. The flowers are insignificant, but the foliage is 

 handsome, being of a bright, shining green in summer, and in 

 autumn changing to a variety of rich shades of scarlet, and crim- 

 son, and purple. It will grow in any soil and any aspect, 

 requiring no culture, and clinging firmly to the wall or other sup- 

 port by the rootlets thrown out at every joint. 



Ampelopsis Veitchii is a miniature variety, with smaller 

 foKage and finer stalk, but Hke it clinging firmly, growing rapidly 

 and densely, and changing in autumn to crimson and purple. 



Trumpet-Flower. — Bignonia Radicans. — Like the Ampelop- 

 sis, this throws out rootlets at the joints and clings firmly to wall 

 or board, and soon covers its support. It is a very showy climber 

 when in bloom, producing large trumpet-shaped flowers, which 

 are of an orange-scarlet color, appearing in August and continuing 

 for some time. It is hardy in a large part of the country, though 

 we judge that it would not endure the cold of our severer sections. 

 It thrives best in a loamy soil, not too wet. 



Brithwort or Dutchman's Pipe. — Aristolochia sipho. — A 

 most interesting climbing plant ; the leaves are very large, often 

 ten or twelve inches across, of a dark green color, and the flowers, 

 which are produced in July, are yeUowish-brown, resembling in 

 form a meerschaum pipe. It does not seem to have been much 

 planted in Canada, but we have no doubt it wiU prove to be gen- 

 erally hardy. It grows in any fair garden soU, and raises itself 

 by twining around its support, hence it should be trained about 

 a pOlar or on a lattice and not against a bare wall. 



Clematis or Virgin's Bower. — There are several varieties 

 of these elegant slender-branched shrubs. They are suitable for 

 training upon treUis work, but can not cling to the face of a wall. 

 The most of the more showy varieties require some winter pro- 

 tection. Where there is snow all winter it wiU. be quite enough 

 to lay them on the ground, and allow the snow to cover them, but 

 where the snow does not lie all winter, it wiU be necessary to 



