The Spiraeas 



6. Before passing from the Spiraeas with white or 

 creamy flowers, one may perhaps just mention the garden 

 hybrid S. Van. Houttei, which in May and June carries 

 cushions of pure white blossom of great beauty. 



7. Of those Spiraeas with pink and red flowers, un- 

 doubtedly S. japonica, the " Rosy Bush Meadow Sweet," 

 holds premier place, particularly in the form of its 

 variety 5. /. Anthony Waterer, where the flat clusters 

 of flowers are a brilliant rose colour, and are to be seen 

 decking many a garden in June and July. Another 

 variety, 5*. /. bumalda, has also deep pink flowers, but is 

 of dwarfer habit ; while a third variety, S. j. splendens, 

 has pale peach-coloured blossoms, and there are still 

 other varieties. This shrub under various names, e.g. 

 S. callosa and 5*. Fortunei has been known since the 

 eighteenth century. 



8. Then Spircea Douglasi, with its rich pink flower- 

 spires of daintiest miniature blossoms, surmounting erect 

 shoots five or six feet high, is a truly delightful shrub 

 that, like 5. lindleyana, decks the garden in July and 

 August. It is a North American plant, and its name 

 once more recalls David Douglas, whose exploits have 

 already been referred to, and who is supposed to have 

 introduced more plants into our gardens than any 

 other collector whatever. Curiously enough . this Spiraea 

 has often had as a synonym the name of S. Men- 

 ziesii, which is reminiscent of the botanical explorer, 



211 



