Gardening for Amateurs 



771 



Climbing Plants for the Greenhouse 



A JUDICIOUS selection of climbing 

 plants forms a valuable addition to 

 the greenhouse, for then the roof is 

 made to contribute its share to the floral 

 embellishment throughout the greater part 

 of the year. In the arrangement of climb- 

 ing plants for the greenhouse it is neces- 

 sary to guard against overcrowding ; if the 

 roof is overburdened light is obstructed, 

 and the plants underneath will suffer accord- 

 ingly. Added to this, the shoots of the 

 more vigorous kinds will become entangled 

 in such a manner that nothing short of 

 severe cutting will serve to remedy the evil. 

 Generally climbers succeed better planted 

 out in a prepared border than when the 

 roots are confined in pots or tubs. The 

 border should, of course, be inside the green- 

 house, and it is essential that it be effectively 

 drained, otherwise failures are likely to occur. 



The soil must be taken out to a depth of 

 about 18 inches, and much the same in 

 width. A layer of brick rubble should be 

 placed in the bottom, and over this the root- 

 ing material, consisting chiefly of fibrous 

 loam with an admixture of leaf-mould and 

 sand. Some of the roughest portions of the 

 loam should be placed immediately over the 

 drainage, and the prepared soil must be 

 pressed down firmly. Then the climbers 

 may be expected to give little trouble pro- 

 viding they are watered as becomes neces- 

 sary. Many of those that flower during 

 summer may be shortened back in autumn, 

 then they do not obstruct light during the 

 winter, at which period it is essential for 

 the other greenhouse plants. The following 

 include the most desirable of greenhouse 

 climbing plants : 



Abutilon. The climbing varieties of 



A beautiful climber for the greenhouse, Clematis indivisa. 



