Climbing Plants. 49 



Easily propagated by cuttings. It should be cut in 

 closely after flowering, or it will become very 

 straggling. 



Bougainvillea spectabilis. A strong-growing climber, 

 with thorny stems and hairy foliage, requiring a high wall 

 with a south aspect, as it blooms in the months when 

 the strong sea winds are prevalent. Its masses of 

 majenta-coloured bracts, often extending over the entire 

 plant, makes it an effective object during the winter 

 months. It requires to be pruned after flowering, and 

 all tall shoots should be cut back during the season. 

 Propagated usually by layers. It looks best when 

 grown in a mass, as its majenta-coloured bracts are 

 difficult to blend with other garden flowers. 



B. glabra. This variety is seldom grown here. It 

 has smooth, shining leaves, but the bracts are of a 

 light mauve colour, and are not so numerous as in the 

 former. A dark, brick-red variety, with smaller bracts 

 than the others, is often seen in the gardens of 

 Alexandria. 



Cryptostegia grandiflora. A rather unmanageable 

 climber, possibly of more value as a rubber plant 

 than for the garden. It has handsome luxuriant 

 foliage, large purple flowers, of a bell-shaped form, 

 and a curious angular fruit which always grows in 

 pairs. It flowers in the autumn and winter months, 

 and is a suitable plant for covering an outhouse. 

 Propagated in February by cuttings. 



Clitoria ternatea Mussel-Shell Creeper. Native 

 of the West Indies. A pretty deciduous climbing 

 plant easily raised from seed ; leaves pinnate, with two 

 or three pairs of ovate leaflets, and handsome pea- 

 shaped flowers of a deep indigo blue. The plant 

 grows to the height of about 6ft. It can be culti- 

 vated in pots, trained on bamboo sticks, or over 

 lattice-work. There are two or three other varieties, 

 both single and with double flowers, also a pure 

 white variety ; but these are somewhat rare. 



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