GOOD TREES AND SHRUBS 237 



Halesia tetraptera (The American Silver Bell Tree), introduced to 

 this country about the middle of the seventeenth century, is happy in 

 moist soil, such as that found near lake and stream side. Its pendent 

 Snowdrop-like flowers appear in clusters in spring, at which time it is 

 very pretty. It is a valuable small deciduous tree for the garden, and 

 in autumn its winged fruit gives additional beauty. H. hispida, occa- 

 sionally met with under the name of Pterostyrax hispidum, indigenous 

 to Japan, has white flowers which appear in long racemes after those 

 of the first named. H. corymbosum, formerly known as Pterostyrax 

 corymbosum, also from Japan, grows about twelve feet high and has 

 long panicles of white flowers touched with pink. 



Hamamelis (Witch Hazel). H. virginica may be planted in damp 

 soils. It is of dense bushy growth, and in early winter bears small yellow 

 flowers, individually not showy, but a large bush laden with blossom is 

 attractive. The Japanese Witch Hazel (H. arborea), a charming hardy 

 tree, dwarf but welcome, because it blooms in winter ; the flowers are 

 made up of long, narrow, wavy, golden yellow petals, with a reddish- 

 coloured calyx. We enjoy a tree in full bloom in January and February, 

 when the brown leafless shoots are covered with golden blossom. A 

 rather rare species from Central China, named mollis. makes a valuable 

 addition to early-flowering shrubs. It differs from the last named in 

 being of slower growth, possessing deeper coloured flowers and larger 

 leaves ; it is very free. The Witch Hazels are deciduous and blossom 

 while the branches are leafless. Plant in front of evergreens, as this 

 enhances the beauty of the flowers. Soil consisting of loam and leaf- 

 mould, with the addition of a few lumps of broken peat, suits them 

 admirably; but special attention must be paid to drainage, because if 

 water is allow r ed to lodge about the roots the trees soon get unhealthy. 



Hedysarum multijugum is a valuable shrub of the Pea family. 

 It flowers long after the majority of shrubs and trees, and requires a 

 sandy soil, good drainage, and sunny position. When in happy circum- 

 stances it grows four feet or five feet high, and has purplish-coloured 

 flowers in long racemes, usually from midsummer to the middle of 

 September, and in very fine seasons the display is continued to the 

 early part of October. 



Helianthemums (Sun Roses). Dwarf-growing evergreen plants, 

 thoroughly hardy and very useful for planting on dry sunny banks or as 

 edgings to low-growing shrubs. They flourish best in sandy soil, and 

 should never be planted in cold sunless positions. Good drainage is of 

 immense importance, as Sun Roses are never a success in cold water- 

 logged soil. H. vulgare and its single and double-flowered forms are 

 very free and adapted for the rock-garden. H. formosum, from Por- 

 tugal, has bright yellow flowers blotched with reddish-purple. It grows 

 about three feet high and is very free. 



Hibiscus. Few thoroughly hardy-flowering shrubs are more beauti- 

 ful in autumn than the form of Hibiscus, or Shrubbery Althaeas as they 

 are sometimes called. No soil seems too bad for them, and they blossom 

 profusely in partial shade as well as in exposed situations. H. syriacus 



