Gardening for Amateurs 



905 



involucrata has long tubular golden flowers 

 with red calyx lobes (the calyx lobes 

 remain after the fall of the corolla until the 

 black fruits are ripe) ; L. syringantha, an 

 elegant shrub with tiny leaves and pretty 

 lilac flowers ; and L. Xylosteum, a vigor- 

 ous bush bearing small yellowish blossoms, 

 followed by red fruits. 



Magnolia introduces an important family 

 of flowering shrubs and trees. The smaller 

 trees are included here amongst the shrubby 

 sorts. M. stellata, a native of Japan, is one 

 of the most beautiful of all early-flowering 

 shrubs. Its blossoms expand during April, 

 unfortunately rather early, and they are 

 sometimes injured by late frosts. Forming 

 a bush at least 12 feet high, and 6 to 10 feet 

 in diameter, its leafless branches are, during 

 the flowering period, hidden beneath a 

 wealth of glistening white, star-shaped 

 blossoms, each one of which is about 3 inches 

 in diameter. In addition to the type there 

 is a variety with rose-coloured blooms. 

 M. conspicua, a Chinese species which is 

 sometimes called the Yulan, grows into a 

 small tree, sometimes 30 feet or more in 

 height. There are numerous fine examples 

 in the vicinity of London , notable ones being 

 found in such old gardens as Syon House, 

 Gunnersbury House, and Kew. Late March 

 and early April sees these specimens masses 

 of pure white fragrant flowers, the in- 

 dividual blossoms being more or less cup- 

 shaped and composed of thick, fleshy petals. 

 M. obovata is a purple-flowered bush which 

 blossoms during April and May. Its chief 

 value lies in the fact of its having been used 

 with the last-named by the florist ; a set of 

 very beautiful and floriferous hybrids being 

 the result. 



The best-known of these is soulangeana, 

 a strong - growing kind whose large white 

 flowers are deeply flushed, particularly on 

 the under surface, with rose or rosy-purple. 

 Other good ones are superba, Xorbertii, and 

 Alexandrina. M. Lennei is another ' fine 

 hybrid which is said to owe its existence 

 to the same parentage, although this is 

 doubtful. Its large and shapely flowers 

 are made up of large, wide petals of great 

 substance ; the inner side is white, stained 

 with pink, and the outer side bright red or 

 reddish-purple. A very graceful specimen is 



M. rustica, which is said to be a seedling 

 from M. Lennei. The two last-named are 

 amongst the handsomest of all Magnolias. 

 Both form good-sized bushes. M. salicifolia 

 is a new one from China. Its fragrant white 

 flowers are reminiscent of those of M. stellata, 

 but both growth and foliage are quite dis- 



A shrubby Potentil (Potentilla frulicosa). 



tinct. M. Campbellii is one of the most 

 beautiful of all, and travellers affirm that it 

 is one of the most gorgeous of Himalayan 

 trees. It may only be grown in the southern 

 counties, and very few gardens include 

 specimens of flowering age. The blossoms 

 are often 9 to 12 inches across, and the outer 

 sides of the broad fleshy petals are of a rich 

 red tint. 



Magnolias, as a rule, thrive most satisfac- 



