886 TCHIHATCHEWIA. THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



TECOMA. 



Picea nobilis, and a diffusely drooping 

 habit. 



VARIETIES WITH VARIEGATED FOLI- 

 AGE. T. b. variegata (Golden Yew) is a 

 plant of great beauty for planting in 

 masses for the lighting up of a landscape. 

 It is said, on good authority, that the 

 Golden Yew is a male plant, but there are 

 at least two forms of it, too close to be 

 easily distinguished ; moreover, the seed- 

 lings retain their variegation, though 

 differing slightly among themselves. T. 

 b. elegantissima is paler and of more erect 

 and uniform growth. Both these, if grown 

 in the shade, quickly become green, but 

 regain their golden appearance with ex- 

 posure. T. b.fastigiata variegata (varie- 

 gated Irish Yew) is a sport from the 

 Irish Yew, with occasional silver leaves ; 

 of slow growth, and hardly striking enough 

 to become a general favourite. T. b. 

 fastigiata variegata (Handsworth variety) 

 is one of the best variegated Yews, grow- 

 ing freely and standing the sun well. 



TCHIHATCHEWIA. This beautiful 

 alpine plant, T. isatidea, is a native of 



Tchihatchewia isatidea. 



Asia Minor, hardy, and not particular 

 as to soil or place, and thrives on the 

 rock-garden. From a tuft of spathulate 

 oblong leaves which is formed in the 

 first year, appear the flowers >n the second 

 season ; the leaves are dark green, thickly 

 beset with shining silky hairs, from 



amongst which rise the thumb-thick 

 flower-stalks showing a combined thyrsus 

 of Syringa-like bright rosy lilac flowers, 

 fragrant like vanilla. The bunch is over 

 a foot across, and in great beauty through- 

 out the month of May. 



TECOMA (Trumpet Creeper). Hand- 

 some and distinct climbing shrubs of 

 much beauty of habit as well as of flower. 

 They are not so often seen in our country 

 as abroad, although well fitted for 

 the southern and warmer parts, and, in 

 the case of one species and its varieties, 

 hardy, flowering well against walls far 

 north of London. Syn., Bignonia. 



T. RADICANS. A native of North America, 

 and an old garden favourite. Its long, wiry 

 stems send out roots like Ivy, which cling to 

 walls or any support. There is a variety 

 named mawr, with larger flowers of a paler 



Tecoma radicans. 



tint and more robust foliage. A strong plant 

 will run up a wall 40 ft. high. It is useful also 

 for covering arbours and pergolas. It is distin- 

 guished at the first glance from T. grandiflora 

 by its more slender branches, smaller and hairy 

 leaf, and its smaller flowers arranged in ter- 

 minal corymbs. It is also hardier and has 

 several varieties : Flava speciosa, flowers long, 

 orange-red ; leaves distinct by their small, 

 much indented folioles, with long narrow 

 points. This form is dwarfer than the type 

 and can be grown as a shrub. Grandiflora 

 atroptirpurea, flowers deep red-purple and 

 large. A vigorous shrub, requiring space to 

 flower well. Princei coccinea comes between 

 these and is perhaps a hybrid. The flowers are 

 large, of a fine cochineal-red, and in large 

 panicles. T. hybrida, this form, a cross be- 

 tween T. grandiflora and T. radicans, has 

 small, hairy leaves and handsome orange flow- 

 ers in panicles. 



T. GRANDIFLORA. This is a Chinese plant, 

 not so hardy as the American Trumpet Creeper, 

 but more showy, with drooping orange-scarlet 

 flowers in large clusters. Its foliage, too, is 

 larger, but to show its vigour and beauty the 

 plant must have light soil and a warm wall. 



