218 THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



in winter, it is grown to a vast extent in tubs to place in the open 

 garden, on terrace, or in courtyard during the summer. The culti- 

 vation of the Laurel for this purpose is carried on to such an extent 

 that miles of handsome trees in various forms may be seen in one 

 nursery. There is no plant more worthy of it than the true Laurel, 

 which we usually call the Sweet Bay, and those who cannot enjoy 

 the plant out of doors, as we may in many of the warmer districts of 

 the British Isles, would do well to grow it in tubs, in which state 

 they may enjoy it both in winter and summer. It would be worth 

 while growing it in the same way in cold and northern districts, 

 where it is killed or much hurt in winter, and this sometimes occurs 

 in parts of southern England. Near the sea it may flourish, and 

 twenty miles inland be cut down to the ground, or so badly hurt 

 that it gives no pleasure to see. In gardens where one may have fine 

 groups of the tree on sunny slopes, we should never think of it in any 

 other way, and no evergreen tree gives us more beauty when old and 

 untrained and undipped. Growing in tubs, the need of storing away 

 in winter, often in a small space, and keeping the plant in health in 

 boxes not too heavy make some training necessary, and the shapes 

 common in Continental gardens are as good as could be obtained 

 under the circumstances, while the health of the bush in these 

 artificial conditions is singularly good. It is often surprising to see 

 what fine heads arise in good health from small tubs, the soil being 

 helped now and then by a little weak liquid manure water not 

 oftener than once a week. Once the plants are stored for the winter, 

 sometimes in sheds with little light, it is best to give no water during 

 the winter months. In the same way we may also enjoy the Laurus- 

 tinus in districts where it is killed by frost out of doors which in hard 

 winters happens, even in the southern countries which is all the more 

 unfortunate as this shrub and its varieties flower so prettily. If grown 

 well in tubs, we may flower them in the cool house and place them 

 out of doors in summer. 



CULTIVATION OF PLANTS IN ORANGERIES. The old way of 

 growing plants in the orangery is still much more practised in 

 France than with us, and a few words as to the mode of culture 

 in use may be useful. Though the orange from which the structure 

 gets its name is not often happy in it, other plants like the Myrtle, 

 Pomegranate, African Lily, and Hydrangea may often be kept with 

 safety through the winter in such a house. 



Among shrubs we have the Pomegranate, Oleander, Orange, 

 Fuchsia, Myrtle, Camellia in fact, all those that are commonly 

 placed for shelter in greenhouses during winter. For shrubs like 

 these the year has two seasons: (i) that during which they are 

 placed for shelter in the orangery or the cool house, or, in the absence 



