Gardening for Amateurs 



899 



Laurus nobilis (Bay Tree) is far more 

 suitable for the southern counties than for 

 the north. In the milder counties it forms 

 a tree 30 to 40 feet high, but more frequently 

 it is seen as a bush. Its fragrant Laurel- 

 like leaves are its chief asset. There is a 

 small-leaved variety called angustifolia. 



Ligustrum (Privet). The Privet family 

 offers a number of useful evergreens. In 

 most places the common Oval-leaved Privet 

 is perfectly hardy, as also is the golden- 

 leaved variety. Then we have L. japonicum, 

 a Chinese and Japanese shrub growing 4 or 

 5 feet high and bearing upright panicles of 

 white flowers during July ; its variety coria- 

 ceum, which is dwarf er and more compact 

 than the type ; also L. lucidum, an upright- 

 growing Chinese shrub which attains a height 

 of 15 feet or more, and bears panicles of 

 white flowers freely during August. The 

 Privets grow in almost any kind of soil, and 

 are easily increased by means of cuttings 

 in July. 



Osmanthus illicifolius is a useful ever- 

 green, with Holly-like leaves, which grows to 

 a height of 6 or 8 feet, forming a shapely 

 bush. In the juvenile state bushes bear 

 spiny leaves, but as they advance in years 

 there is a tendency for the leaves to appear 

 without spines ; and old plants, usually 

 with many spineless leaves, bear small 

 fragrant white flowers freely during late 

 autumn. There are varieties with silver and 

 golden variegated leaves, but the most dis- 

 tinct variety is purpureus, with purple foliage. 

 All the Osmanthuses thrive in light, well- 

 drained, loamy soil. 



Pernettya mucronata. This member of 

 the Erica family is a native of the Magel- 

 lanic region, and distinct by reason of its 

 small, dark green, finely-toothed leaves, 

 small white bell-shaped flowers, which 

 appear in May, and handsome fruits, which 

 ripen in September and remain until dis- 

 coloured by frost. The fruits are usually 

 some shade of red, but varieties with purple, 

 pink, lilac, and white fruits may be pro- 

 cured. It grows about 2 feet high, spreads 

 by suckers from the rootstock, requires soil 

 free from lime, no regular pruning, and is 

 increased by division, cuttings and seeds. 



Phillyraea is a family closely allied to the 

 Privet. It includes several sorts which form 



handsome and useful evergreens. P. decora, 

 a native of Lazistan, grows 4 or 5 feet high 

 and bears ovate leaves 3 to 4 inches long 

 and white flowers from the leaf axils. P. 

 angustifolia and its variety rosmarinifolia are 

 narrow-leaved kinds which grow into wide- 

 spreading bushes 5 to 8 feet high, and lati- 

 folia and media grow to a height of 15 feet 

 or more, and form shapely bushes 10 or 12 

 feet through. All three are from the Mediter- 

 ranean region. The Phillyraeas thrive in 

 ordinary garden soil, are propagated from 

 cuttings, and may be pruned hard back when 

 outgrowing their positions. 



Pieris. Pieris japonica and floribunda 

 are commonly met with, the stronger-growing 

 P. formosa being more tender, and suitable 

 only to the warmer parts of the country. 

 All bear white flowers, the two former in 

 April, and the last-named during May or 

 June. They require peaty soil. 



Primus Laurocerasus (Common Laurel) 

 has been so widely planted in the past, and 

 so much abused by improper cultivation, 

 that people are now chary of planting it, 

 but if it is allowed to grow freely and attain 

 its natural shape and proportions, it forms 

 an exceedingly handsome bush. Growing 

 to a height of from 12 to 18 feet, it covers 

 a space of ground with a diameter of 20 or 

 25 feet, and keeps shapely without regular 

 pruning. Good varieties are Otinii, camel - 

 liaefolia, colchica, and Versaillensis. Cuttings 

 root quite readily in a cold frame. 



Prunus lusitanica (Portugal Laurel) 

 also gives good results when allowed to grow 

 quite freely. It is a somewhat difficult shrub 

 to transplant, and people would do well to 

 purchase small plants with short branches 

 rather than large ones with very vigorous 

 shoots. As a rule, the former have the 

 better root system. 



Pyracantha coccinea (Fire Thorn), or 

 Crataegus Pyracantha, as it is often called, 

 is a handsome Southern European Thorn 

 with evergreen foliage. It is frequently used 

 as a wall plant for the sake of its white 

 flowers in May and scarlet fruits later in the 

 year. It also thrives well in the open ground, 

 forming a bush 10 to 18 feet high and as 

 far through. Grown in the open, it flowers 

 and fruits quite as freely as when planted 

 against a wall. The variety Lalandi bears 



