268 The Wild Garden 



betimes, and very handsome in the colour of the stems, 

 especially where a number of old trees are seen 

 picturesquely grouped. The Grey Poplar comes near 

 this but is not so fine a tree. I love our true native 

 Aspen (P- tremula), best of all Poplars : though not 

 uncommon in some underwoods, we rarely see it in 

 England planted either as a garden or woodland tree— 

 a great mistake, as in some countries of North Europe 

 it is a large and useful tree, and always a beautiful one. 

 There is a weeping form and one or two wild ones. 

 The Black Poplar (P. nigra) is a valuable tree of rapid 

 growth and good effect in the landscape, as is shown 

 in Mr. Parsons' sketch of it by the Kennet. 



Our Native Evergreens. When after a very 

 hard winter we see the evergreen trees of the 

 garden in mourning, and perhaps many of them 

 dead, as happens to Laurels, Laurustinuses, and often 

 even the Bay, it is a good time to consider the 

 hardiness and other good qualities of our British ever- 

 greens and the many forms raised from them. If we 

 are fortunate enough to have old Yew trees near us, 

 we do not find that a hard winter makes any difference 

 to them, even winters that sear the evergreen Oak. 

 We have collected within the past two hundred years 

 evergreen trees from all parts of the northern world, 

 but it is doubtful if any of them are better than the 

 common Yew, which when old is often picturesque, 

 and which lives green for a thousand years. Of this 

 great tree we have many varieties, but none of them 



