4 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



There is a softness in the shade of purple, an elegance 

 in the form and pose of its flower-heads, which are not 

 easily equalled. Of course, the plant itself is always so 

 "fit," and its habit and foliage are so perfect, that the 

 flowers are bound to look well on it. If the breeder had 

 never operated on R. ponticum, if it had been still the only 

 evergreen Rhododendron in British gardens, it would still 

 have to be given first place as an all-round useful shrub. 



I have never seen a big display of the other old species, 

 R. caucasicum and R. catawbiense, and it is difficult to ac- 

 count for the fact that they have never become common 

 garden plants in this country. They are the reputed 

 parents of many beautiful hybrids and crosses, but it is more 

 than likely that the best of these with respect to habit and 

 constitution have R. ponticum blood in them. Questions 

 of breeding are, however, dealt with in another chapter. 



The Azalea section of hardy Rhododendrons has a 

 garden history not unlike that of the evergreens. The 

 species were in cultivation for many years only, however, 

 in the gardens of the " curious " before they were turned 

 to account and brought forward as ornamental shrubs for 

 every garden. They haven't got to that position even yet, 

 although they have every right to it, always providing the 

 soil is to their liking. If only the makers of gardens and 

 parks and pleasure grounds of any kind of place, in fact, 

 where plants and flowers are to form permanent objects of 

 interest would make more use of these Azaleas than they 

 do now, there would be less astonishment evinced by our 

 people when they see them in flower in the few places 

 where their merits have been recognised and their attrac- 

 tions are displayed. 



Gardening is something like politics and religion. 



