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Gardening for Amateurs 



Buxus sempervirens (Common Box) 



is a very good evergreen, particularly for the 

 wilder parts of the garden. The variety with 

 pendulous branches is the most useful of 

 the many forms. B. balearica is a large- 

 leaved sort from the neighbourhood of the 

 Black Sea ; it looks very distinct amongst 

 other evergreens. The Boxes may be planted 

 almost anywhere, as they thrive under many 

 conditions and in a wide variety of soils. 



Camellia japonica (Camellia) and its 

 varieties are hardier than many people 

 suppose, and there are numerous parts of 

 the south and west counties where they 

 grow into large bushes and flower profusely 

 out-of-doors. Well-drained loamy soil con- 

 taining a little peat suits them well. No 

 regular pruning is necessary, but a branch 

 here and there may be removed occasion- 

 ally to help in shaping the plant. 



Castanopsis chrysophylla (Golden- 

 leaved Chestnut) is an exceedingly beautiful 

 and interesting tree from California which 

 is often spoken of as the Golden-leaved 

 Chestnut on account of its fruits and seeds 

 being similar in appearance and taste to 

 those of the Sweet Chestnut, and by reason 

 of the undersides of the leaves being golden 

 in colour. In many respects the leaves 

 resemble those of the common Evergreen 

 Oak, but their golden reverse is a good dis- 

 tinguishing feature. Although a tree in its 

 native haunts, it often assumes bush form 

 here. Loamy, well-drained soil is necessary, 

 and it should not be planted in cold places. 



Choisya ternata (Mexican Orange 

 Blossom) is a useful Mexican shrub ; the 

 fragrance of its white blossoms is some- 

 what like that of the Orange. The bright 

 green leaves are three-parted and produced 

 in profusion, amongst which the flowers 

 appear during May and June. It may be 

 grown as a bush in the open in the south 

 and against a wall farther north. Cuttings 

 root readily in summer, and any good garden 

 soil suits. No regular pruning is necessary. 



Cistus (Rock Rose) and Helianthe- 

 mum (Sun Rose) may well be grouped 

 together, for both require the same treat- 

 ment and are closely related. The various 

 species are excellent for clothing hot dry 

 banks, and are also useful for planting on 

 walls and rock gardens. C. laurifolius is 



the hardiest, and forms a bush 6 feet high. 

 It bears large white flowers during May, 

 June and July. Other good kinds to grow 

 are C. corbariensis, 1 to 2 feet, white ; C. 

 crispus, 2 feet, rose ; C. hirsutus, 1 to 2 feet, 

 white ; C. ladaniferus, 2 to 3 feet, white, with 

 a reddish-brown blotch at the base of each 

 petal ; C. Monspeliensis, 1 to 2 feet, white ; 

 C. Loretii, white, with a reddish-brown blotch 

 at the base of each petal, grows 3 to 4 feet 

 high. Helianthemum vulgare is the com- 

 monest of the Sun Roses. It is found wild 

 in many parts of the British Isles, often 

 amongst short grass overlying rock. Its 

 yellow flowers are conspicuous throughout 

 summer. There are many varieties, which 

 differ from one another chiefly by the colour 

 of the flowers. Fireball, red ; Magenta 

 Queen, magenta ; Venustum, scarlet ; Rose 

 Queen, rose ; Sudbury Gem, crimson ; ocu- 

 latum, white ; croceum, yellow ; album 

 plenum, double white. In most cases there 

 are double and single-flowered forms of each 

 kind. Other good species are H. alyssoides, 

 formosum, ocymoides, and polifolium. 



Cotoneaster (Rock Spray). Several of 

 the Cotoneasters are well worth growing on 

 account of their evergreen foliage. A few 

 good ones are C. buxifolia, C. thymifolia, C. 

 microphylla and its variety glacialis. The 

 former grows into a large-spreading bush 

 8 to 12 feet high, and the latter rarely exceed 

 2 feet in the open, but ascend walls to a 

 height of 15 or 18 feet. 



Elaeagnus. Several sorts of Elaeagnus 

 are of distinctly ornamental appearance. 

 E. macrophj'lla, a native of Japan and 

 Formosa, forms a bush 5 or 6 feet high, with 

 broadly oval silvery leaves, and bears cream- 

 coloured fragrant flowers during winter. 

 E. pungens, from China and Japan, grows 

 15 feet high, with a wide spread. Its green 

 oblong leaves are very distinct, but its golden 

 variegated varieties, aurea, aureopicta, 

 Simonii and tricolor are more useful. All 

 keep their colour well, and if planted in 

 loamy soil make rapid growth. They are 

 increased by cuttings, and require a little 

 pruning to keep the bushes in shape. 



Escallonia macrantha is the most gener- 

 ally useful of the evergreen Escallonias. It 

 is well adapted for planting in the open in 

 the southern counties and for placing against 



