BACK-YARD PROBLEMS 



have suggested, against the base of bare walls as a screen 

 Now there are corners in the garden, and summer-houses 

 and necessary barns and outbuildings that one may like to 

 conceal with a wild and picturesque tangle of leafy branches 

 and twining tendrils, but there are other places where we 

 desire neater, quieter effects. 



There are hardy annuals and hardy perennials, and it is 

 of the latter that I wish to write. In most parts of Califor- 

 nia, once planted, these need scarcely ever be renewed, and 

 by using care in the original planting, one may really plant 

 for all time. There are then, first, for use in covering brick, 

 stone, plaster or even frame houses, the very interesting 

 varieties of bignonia. Bignonia trveediana clings fast and 

 flat to stone or wood alike. It has a bright green foliage, 

 and, at least twice a year, bright golden yellow flowers. It 

 is especially useful on tall buildings and may be kept clear 

 at the ground, covering only the upper part of the build- 

 ing and festooning, in graceful lines, towers, chimneys, or 

 ramparts of one sort or another. 



There is another bignonia, more properly named Pithe- 

 coctenium buccinatorium, which I have seen in but one place, 

 and that on a fine private residence at Santa Barbara owned 

 by E. W. Hadley. This bignonia (Bignonia cherere, for 

 short) is the most vigorous grower I have ever seen of the 

 vine kind. It has glorious great clusters of trumpet-shaped 

 crimson flowers which, if my memory serves me, have yellow 

 throats. Bignonia cherere would be worthy of extreme 

 effort to secure. 



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