February Dawning Spring 



close-growing plant that forms a mass of tiny green foli- 

 age. It is really hardy I grow it on the rockery though 

 it seems happier under glass. One can obtain charming 

 specimens if it is planted in the centre of a flower-pot ; it 

 soon reaches the edge and subsequently creeps over the 

 side, altogether covering the pot with its mantle of green. 

 Another beautiful little plant of this character, though 

 additionally attractive owing to its bearing a crop of 

 orange-red berries, is Nertera depressa; both these are 

 perennial. Cobaea scandens is a vigorous perennial climber, 

 though flowering the first year from seed ; it is really too 

 rampant for the small greenhouse, but its large cup-shaped 

 purplish blossoms are handsome. It may be sown under 

 glass now for planting out of doors in May. 



Greenhouse Climbing Plants. A suitable selection 

 of climbing plants adds largely to the charm of the green- 

 house. Those that form masses of dense foliage should be 

 avoided, and others might well be trained to the rafters as 

 much as possible. Thus the amount of shade given by the 

 climbers will be negligible. If, on the other hand, ever- 

 green or close-leaved sorts are chosen and trained beneath 

 the glass, plants in pots on the stage below are bound to 

 suffer. Generally, greenhouse climbers are more success- 

 ful when planted in a small border than when grown in 

 flower-pots, though large tubs or pots answer the same 

 purpose providing watering is carefully practised. When 

 the roots are in a border they are not likely to suffer from 

 drought, as is liable to happen if flower-pots are used. 

 The Abutilon is an excellent climbing plant; it is true 

 that the leaves are rather large, but if the shoots are hard 

 pruned each spring, and the main stem is secured to the 

 rafter, the plants beneath do not suffer. There are many 

 beautiful varieties, e.g. Boule de Neige, white; Golden 

 Fleece, yellow; and Sanglant, red. The plants bloom 

 throughout a long season, during spring and summer, and 

 the drooping bell-shaped blossoms come very freely. 

 Fuchsias, too, make admirable greenhouse climbers ; they 

 K i4S 



