226 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



flowers. It is a much branched shrub, and grows from six to ten feet 

 high. E. Alberti is pleasing and rarer than E. grandiflora. It is of 

 stiff habit, and bears pure white blossoms, but they are not produced so 

 freely as in the first named. A Pearl Bush in flower is very beautiful, 

 like a drift of snow. 



Forsythia. This is a small group of bright early spring- flowering 

 deciduous shrubs. They are quite hardy and grow in ordinary soil. 

 The most useful kind is F. suspensa, a shrub with long slender growths, 

 and in March when its drooping bell-shaped, rich yellow flowers appear, 

 it is most effective. Planters should remember that the Forsythia 

 flowers are borne in advance of the leaves, on which account care should 

 be exercised at planting, and a suitable background secured to bring out 

 the full beauty of the golden bells. It is amenable to various forms of 

 culture. For instance, it is well adapted for training against a wall, 

 securing only the principal growths and allowing the others to fall at 

 will ; and for covering pergolas, pillars, and similar arrangements it is of 

 much use. F. viridissima is of very different growth to the last named. 

 It is a sturdy, bushy shrub, with bright yellow bell-shaped flowers, and 

 useful for planting in groups in the front of the border, but should never 

 be placed where it is likely to get choked by taller and more vigorous 

 things. F. suspensa is easily kept within reasonable bounds by a free 

 use of the knife, as it stands hard pruning. Any cutting back should be 

 done in spring just after the flowers have faded, as the plants then have 

 the full growing season for the production of fresh wood. 



Fraxinus excelsior (Common Ash) is at home more in the park 

 and pleasure-ground than in the garden, but if space permits, room 

 should be reserved for one or two of its varieties, especially that with 

 golden bark so beautiful in winter. Its golden leafage is conspicuous in 

 summer too. The silver-leaved variety (foliis argenteis), with tender 

 green leaves profusely speckled with white, is a good summer companion 

 to it, and that distinct Ash (F. e. heterophyHa), known also as simplici- 

 folia, deserves attention. It is vigorous and decidedly ornamental. 

 Then there is the pendulous form of Fraxinus excelsior, one of the best 

 of trees of weeping habit. 



Amongst Flowering Ashes, F. Ornus grows upwards of twenty-five 

 feet high, and is well adapted for planting on the lawn. It carries 

 immense clusters of cream white flowers in early summer. F. flori- 

 bunda (Ornus floribundd) is perhaps more vigorous, and certainly one of 

 the best of Flowering Ashes. There is an uncommon Chinese species 

 named Mariesi, which is very beautiful and distinct, but not so free in 

 growth as those already referred to. Its pure white flowers appear 

 rather late. 



Fremontia Californica. This Californian deciduous shrub is too 

 valuable to pass by notwithstanding its rather delicate constitution. 

 Only in specially favoured localities should it be planted in the open 

 shrubbery, as it is too tender for general use out of doors. It will give 

 satisfaction, trained against a wall if planted in sandy loam, taking care 

 not to choose a place exposed to east winds. It grows about twelve feet in 

 height, and bears bright yellow flowers two inches across in early summer. 



