28o THE IVY. 



gone, and desolate indeed is that garden which does not 

 contain a goodly proportion of these winter gems. Let us 

 hasten to fill the void, if void there be, for the garden in 

 winter may be made as interesting and beautiful in its 

 way as in spring or summer. Each season has its natural 

 and distinctive features, the embodiment of which should 

 be a pleasing task to the skilful gardener. 



Having on former occasions arranged and described 

 the principal varieties of the Yew (Taxus) and the Holly 

 (Ilex), I now venture to deal with the Ivy a plant alike 

 remarkable for its antiquity, beauty, and pleasant associa- 

 tions. We have here no new favourite. The plant was 

 known to and valued by both Greeks and Romans, was 

 woven into crowns and chaplets on festive occasions, and 

 was also used by them medicinally. 



In " Seemann's Journal of Botany" (1864) is a very 

 interesting paper on the Ivy, which every admirer of this 

 plant should read. The writer brings all known varieties 

 under three species : 



1 . Hedera Helix, the European Ivy. 



2. H. Canariensis, the African Ivy. 



3. H. Colchica (Raegneriana), the Asiatic Ivy. 



In our country H. Helix abounds both naturally arid by 

 the hand of the planter, and I conceive that there are few 

 who cannot look back with pleasurable emotions on some 

 old church, ruin, or " Ivy-mantled tower," the picturesque 

 forms of which remain indelibly fixed on the memory. 

 So plentiful is the plant in England that one can scarcely 

 take a walk or drive without meeting with the various 

 forms covering banks or park palings, and ascending trees 

 to a great height, the topmost shoots often assuming 

 a shrubby or tree form. In the words of one of our most 

 popular authors, " a rare old plant is the Ivy green." 



From the cultural point of view the Ivy is valuable as 

 an evergreen climbing plant, on account of its free, rapid, 

 and accommodating growth. It can scarcely be dispensed 



