Gardening for Amateurs 



175 



The Mountain Clematis (Clematis montana) on a cottage in Gloucestershire. 



Hardy Perennial Climbing Plants 



THERE are many ways in which 

 hardy twiners and climbers may 

 be turned to account in the decor- 

 ation of the garden. They can be used 

 for covering arbours, arches, porches, walls, 

 pergolas, fences, pillars, trellises, and 

 verandas. The character of the garden 

 is much improved and made more inter- 

 esting by using climbers liberally, cspcei- 

 ally to hide bare fences and walls or to 

 form screens. In most instances we expect 

 climbers to make a lot of growth, so the 

 ground should be deeply dug and \\ell 

 manured, as the probability is most ot the 

 plants will remain undisturbed for some 

 years, receiving merely an annual dressing 

 of manure in late spring or early summer. 

 Attention to the training of the shoots, 

 especially in the early years after planting, 

 means much towards success \\ith hardy 

 climbers. Wood is the best and m<t natural 

 material to use for arbours and other 

 structures on uhirh climltere are trained. 



The only objection to rustic arches, poles 

 with rough spurs, and wooden trellises is 

 that the wood so soon rots at the ground 

 level. The life of poles is increased by first 

 coating the portion to be buried with tar 

 or creosote. Though not of so natural an 

 appearance as wood, iron and wire are 

 frequently used for arches, pillars, and 

 pergolas with very satisfactory results, 

 especially as they last Mich a long time. 



Aristolochia Sipho( Dutchman's Pipe). 

 A North American plant of rapid twining 

 growth. It is deciduous, with large, attrac- 

 tive leaves and curious yellow and purple 

 Mir.ikrd HMU.-IS ivsrmhliiig a pi]K\ This 

 plant will reach a height of 30 feet, and 

 looks best on the stem of a J>ig tree. It is 

 propagated by cuttings inserted in a frame 

 in .hily. 



Bignonia radicans (Trumpet Flower). 

 To grow this climber most successfully a 

 \\ um position is necessary, so choose a wall 

 or a veranda facing south. The orange-red 



