CLIMBERS 221 



climbing hydrangeas, one of which grows at Dosoris on a tree 

 trunk. 



A combination suggested by Miss Duncan sounds most 

 artistic, viz., wistaria and trumpet creeper on the same tree. 

 They supplement each other in time of bloom and give a complete 

 change of colour, but both have similar, pinnate leaves. 



However, I must not be dogmatic about large flowers, because 

 I have never seen Miss Whitney's trumpet creeper bloom 

 on her white pine at Westbury. I did see this combina- 

 tion in winter, however, and am bound to say it was the most 

 perfect marriage between evergreen tree and deciduous climber 

 that I have ever seen. It looks as if the golden wedding might be 

 celebrated before long, as both parties are hale and hearty. The 

 pine is about seventy-five feet high and the vine has grown to 

 the top. 



We often make the mistake of planting a climber near the 

 trunk of the tree. It is better, both from the cultural and pic- 

 torial points of view, to plant them ten or twelve feet away and 

 train them on inclined poles until they reach the lower limbs. 

 Then you get the effect of lianas in the tropical forest or of wild 

 grape in our own woods. 



CLIMBERS ON EVERGREEN SHRUBS 



But the climax of delicate beauty in this line of work is to 

 throw a veil over the evergreen shrubs. The one thing that every 

 Englishman yearns to do, and cannot, is to grow the flame flower 

 on holly. The flame flower (Tropczolum speciosum) is a gor- 

 geous scarlet nasturtium which glorifies the humblest cottage in 

 Scotland and strikes every summer visitor to the Highlands with 

 amazement. It perfectly suits the Scotch character, for the 



