GOOD TREES AND SHRUBS 235 



E. europceus both for its foliage and berries. Of the evergreen kinds, 

 the following list comprises a few of the best : E. japonicus latifolius 

 albo-variegatus has pretty silver leaves ; Due d'Anjou, green and gold ; 

 macrophyllus , broad deep green ; aureus, yellow and pale green. E. 

 radicans is well adapted for edging borders, as it stands the shears well, 

 and is always of neat appearance. Jt also makes an excellent wall 

 shrub. The variety, Silver Gem, is much stronger in growth than the 

 type, and well deserves greater popularity. Its leaves are silvery white 

 and pale green ; a bright little plant for winter bedding. The other 

 variegated forms are useful too. 



Eurybia. See Olearia. 



Exochorda grandiflora (Pearl Bush), known also as Spircea grandi- 

 flora, is a Chinese species, perfectly hardy, of free growth, and flowers 

 abundantly. In May it carries long racemes of snow-white flowers. 

 It is a much branched shrub, and grows from six to ten feet high. E. 

 Alberti is pleasing and rarer than E. grandiflora. It is of stiff habit, and 

 bears pure white blossoms, but they are not produced so freely as in the 

 first named. A Pearl Bush in flower is very beautiful, like a drift of 

 snow ; will grow in any good garden soil. 



Forsythia (Golden Bell). This is a small group of bright early spring- 

 flowering deciduous shrubs. They are quite hardy and grow in ordinary soil. 

 The most useful kind is F. suspensa, a shrub with long slender growths, 

 and in March when its drooping bell-shaped, rich yellow flowers appear, 

 it is most effective. Planters should remember that the Forsythia 

 flowers are borne in advance of the leaves, on which account care should 

 be exercised at planting, and a suitable background secured to bring out 

 the full beauty of the golden bells. It is amenable to various forms of 

 culture. For instance, it is well adapted for training against a wall, securing 

 only the principal growths and allowing the others to fall at will ; and 

 for covering pergolas, pillars, and similar arrangements it is of much use. 



F. viridissima is of very different growth to the last named. It is a 

 sturdy, bushy shrub, with bright yellow bell-shaped flowers, and useful 

 for planting in groups in the front of the border, but should never be 

 placed where it is likely to get choked by taller and more vigorous things. 

 F. suspensa is easily kept within reasonable bounds by a free use of the 

 knife, as it stands hard pruning. Any cutting back should be done in 

 spring just after the flowers have faded, as the plants then have the full 

 growing season for the production of fresh wood. There is a useful hybrid 

 between these two species called intermedia. Jt is very floriferous, but 

 is surpassed in this respect by its variety densiflora. 



Fraxinus excelsior (Common Ash) is at home more in the park and 

 pleasure-ground than in the garden, but if space permits, room should 

 be reserved for one or two of its varieties, especially that with golden 

 bark so beautiful in winter. Its golden leafage is conspicuous in summer 

 too. The silver-leaved variety (foliis argenteis) > with tender green 

 leaves profusely speckled with white, is a good summer companion to 

 it, and that distinct Ash (F. e. heterophylla), known also as simplicifolia, 

 deserves attention. It is vigorous and decidedly ornamental. Then 



