86 



JOUfiXAL OF HOETICUIyTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ January 31, 18G5. 



above them there were three other arms, each C feet long, 

 and then the Ivy rose on the trunk in one unbroken column 

 for 21 feet. The efl'ect was most beautiful. Another fine 

 example of Ivy.covered trees existed at Harden Grange, 

 Bingley, Yorkshire, where two largo trees, one on each side 

 of the caniage-drive to the house, were so covered, re- 

 sembling a gorgeous triumphal arch of massive proportions. 

 This fine ornament was seriously in.jui'ed by the severe frost 

 of December 25th, 18G0. 



When planted against a building Ivy should be nailed to 

 the wall, and trained uji trellises, or fastened to those objects 

 It may be desirable to hide, and the shoots as they grow 

 regulated, so as to cover the surface as quickly as possible. 

 I do not know whether it is generally known or not, that if 

 trained over wiiework it forms one of the coolest and most 

 beautiful of arbours. 



The common Ivy is considered to be distinct from the tree 

 Ivy (Hedera helix ai-borescens), but it is my impression 

 they only differ in the treatment to which they are sub- 

 jected. All the forms of H. helix ai'e tree Ivies if allowed 

 to grow to a flowering state without the usual clipping ; but 

 the most desirable for their tree-like ajipearance are H. helix 

 arborescens, and the yellow-berried sub-variety (H. helix 

 baccifera lutea, which is synonymous with chrysocarpa, there 

 being a H. helix chrysocarpa from Northern India with 

 narrow-lobed leaves, having silvery veins), but it. like all 

 the others, is no tree unless it has something to climb up, and 

 then it is a tree 10 or 20 feet high, just as the object is high 

 or low, and whether it is cut or not. Cut all the tree Ivies 

 every other year, and they ai-e every one climbers or trailers, 

 but leave ofi' cutting them and they all form bushes or trees 

 from 4 to -to feet in height, just as the object to which they 

 cling is higher low. For planting against railings, trunks of 

 trees in arborctums, and iu shrubberies, the three I'orms men- 

 tioned are unequalled, and to them may be added H. helix 

 aurea, with yellow leaves when appearing, but in other 

 respects not differing from the species ; alba lutesoens, with 

 white-belted leaves, and the golden clouded-leaved form 

 (aurea maculata), are eligible for such jjurposes ; also the 

 small yellow (minor lutea). The silver-margined form (mar- 

 ginata argentea) may also be added, but it must be borne 

 in mind that variegated Ivies are not so hardy as the green- 

 leaved sorts, and neither they, nor, in fact, any of them, are 

 suitable for planting in bleak situations. In the majority 

 of gardens, sheltered as they mostly are by trees, most Ivies 

 will be sufficiently hardy to beai' exposui'e in most situations. 

 For covei'ing a tree stump quickly, Ecegner's Ivy (Hedera 

 Eoegneriana), and the Irish, especially the arborescent form 

 (H. canariensis arborescens), are very suitable, and, having 

 large green leaves, they are most esteemed for covering 

 buildings on the east and west aspects, H. canariensis being 

 the best of all. The tree form, though eligible, is not so 

 good for surface-covering. The Algerian Ivy (H. alge- 

 riensis), is also fine for a wall, but it requires a south or 

 south-west aspect in cold localities. 



These when established should be clipped close every other 

 year with shears, and accumulated dirt brushed from between 

 tie stem s. The most eligible time to clip Ivy is the first 

 week in April. Where an even surface is dcsued the loose 

 shoots may be removed in September, cutting to within 

 three or four leaves of the stem from which the shoot takes 

 its rise. 



Varieties of climbing habit, and of free but less growth 

 than the preceding, and like them having green foliage, are 

 very suitable for covering low walls. Such are lledera 

 tanricu, with small, much-divided, and neat leaves, and its 

 variety Leeana, H. poetica, pennsylvanica, H. helix digilala 

 (pahnata), H. helix crenata (notched-lobed), H. helix gra- 

 cilia (slender-branched) ; and i'or forming a close covering 

 to the wall, H. taurica, before named, the yellow-fruited 

 (H. helix baccifera lutea, or cbrjsocarpa), lobata, digitata, 

 already mentioned, and II. pennsylvanica, and these ai-e 

 equally eligible for planting liy rails, rustic fences, &c. 



Of the variegated kinds the most beautiful are the white- 

 belted (alba luteBCcn«, identical with the old II. Jjclix foliis 

 voriegatiH), than which no plant gives buildings such un 

 antique appearance, and the silver-margined (marginata 

 argentea). A pair of gold-blntched kinds to matcli are 

 aurea maculata and the small* r gold-margined (minor 

 lut«a). The neatest silvery variety in U. helix minor aurea, 



with beaiitiful silvery-mai-bled leaves, and which is especially 

 suitable for hanging-baskets ; and for this purpose the forms 

 of H. helix marginata are also well adapted — viz., CuUisi, 

 marginata argentea, elegans, robusta, pulohella, and major, 

 clegantissima being the best of all. There is a variety of the 

 old variegated Ivy, with silver-striped leaves, which in winter 

 has the leaves margined and veined with red. It is an 

 exquisite variety, but I am not able to speak positively as 

 to its hardiness, not having gi-own it. 



Perhaps the most beautiful Ivy is the new Japanese 

 H. japoniea argentea, recently introduced by Mr. Fortune. 

 It has beautiful silver-maa'gined leaves, very distinct, and 

 there is every reason to hope that it will prove hardy on 

 walls with south or south-west aspects, and ia sheltered 

 places. 



Besides being indispensable for covering walls and rustic 

 buildings generally, or any unsightly object. Ivy answers 

 admirably for planting on rockwork, the small-leaved kinds 

 being very suitable on account of their clinging closely to 

 the stones, and their small foliage having a fine effect. The 

 smaller kinds are, in addition, especially adapted for training 

 on the wu-ework of beds, they being equally handsome at 

 all seasons, heightening the effect of the summer occupants, 

 and doing away with much of the dreariness of the flower 

 garden at that season. For this purpose the plants should 

 be planted at about 2 feet apart, and the shoots as they 

 grow trained over the basketwork so as to cover it com- 

 pletely in time, training them regularly and evenly iu the 

 first instance, and the afterwork merely consists in trim- 

 ming the young shoots away to two or three leaves in 

 August, and when the growths become very strong the Ivy 

 should be cut quite close with a pan- of shears once in every 

 two or three years, care being taken not to cut the strong 

 shoots or stems, or the part above will perish, or make an 

 indifferent ai^pearance. When the shoots are regulated 

 with a knife or nipper twice annually, in April and August, 

 cutting away the strong and ill-placed shoots, stopping the 

 long, and thinning out where too thick, so as to give an 

 even surface, no further pruning is necessary. The small- 

 growing green kinds are best for this purpose, the vai-ie- 

 gated kinde being unsurpassed as edging plants, but only 

 eligible for sheltered situations. 



Then, for forming very ornamental borders the different 

 varieties of Ivies are admirably suited. In most gardens 

 there are many borders that are so shaded with trees that 

 few if any plants wiU grow in them. I should be very sorry 

 to lead any one to conclude, that no place can be too much 

 shaded for the growth of the Ivy ; but it is never seen in 

 perfection except in a north or north-east aspect, or iu 

 places partially shaded from the sun's rays. In the shade 

 it grows more freely, and the foliage is of a finer hue, whilst 

 in the sun it soon becomes stunted in growth, partaking 

 of the character of a bush, all its vital forces being di- 

 rected to the production of seeds, as if nature foresaw that 

 its fate was sealed : hence the provision made for the con- 

 tinuation of the plant. Though adapted for growing in 

 shady places it will not do well in intense gloom ; hut for 

 sm-facing under the shade of large trees where no other or 

 but few plants will grow, quite as much on account of the 

 dryness of the soil in summer as the dai-kness of the situa- 

 tion. Ivies wiU be found very useful. In fact, the purposes 

 for which Ivy may be used are so various, that I cannot do 

 more than give one or two more examples. Presuming there 

 is a border 12 feet wide overshadowed with trees, with a 

 fence at the back from 3 to G feet high, scarcely anything 

 will grow there in consequence of the ground being rendered 

 so dry by the roots of the trees. It is, however, what may 

 l)e termed a light yet shady border, and this border is 

 bounded by a walk parallel with, but on the opposite side to 

 the fence, the trees being planted in a line with the last, or 

 a little in front of it. To make an ornament of such o 

 border, strong plants of II. helix should be put in along the 

 foot of the fence at 2 feet apart, and the shoots trained to 

 it. Alternately with thcFe in the border, at the same dis- 

 tance every way, another row eliould be planted, and this 

 ia to cover the ground, which ouglit to incline to the walk 

 for a distance of a yard or t- feet from the fence ; or the 

 fence may planted with the large-leaved Irish Ivy (H. cana- 

 riensis) if variety is desirable. Two feet from the second 

 row a third row of Kugner's heart-shaped leaved may be 



