158 The Wild Garden 



may be formed of these plants, and in spring they will be 

 sheeted with purple flowers, no matter what the weather. 



Great Birth wort, Aristolochia Sipho. — A great climbing 

 plant for covering arbours, banks, stumps of old trees, and 

 also wigwam-like bowers, formed with branches of trees. 

 It is American, and will grow as high as 30 feet ; A. 

 tomentosa is distinct and not so large in leaf. These 

 will scarcely be grown for their flowers ; but for covering 

 stumps or trees they are valuable, and afford a distinct 

 eifect. 



Virginian Creepers, Ampelopsis. — Although this chapter 

 is mostly devoted to herbaceous plants, the Virginian 

 Creeper and its allies are so useful for forming curtains 

 in rocky places, ravines, or over old trees, that they deserve 

 mention here. These plants are not very distant relations 

 of the vine — the wild American vines that are worthy of 

 a place in our groves, garlanding trees as they do in 

 a grand way. 



Bamboo, Bambusa. — In many parts of England, Ireland, 

 and Wales, various kinds of Bamboos are more hardy, 

 and perhaps near the sea thrive freely. Their beauty is the 

 more precious from their being wholly distinct in habit from 

 any other plants or shrubs that we grow. They are so 

 tall and so enduring that they will thrive among the 

 strongest plants or bushes, and the partial shelter of the 

 thin wood saves their leaves from the effects of violent 

 winds. By quiet Grass walks, in sheltered dells, in the 

 shrubbery, or in httle glades in woods, the Bamboos will 

 be at home. The commonest kind is that generally known 

 as Arundinaria falcata (sometimes called Bambusa gracilis) ; 

 but others, such as Bambusa Metake, B. Simmonsi, and 

 B. viridis-glaucescens, are of equal or greater value. They 



