OF SHRUBS, MOSTLY EVERGREEN 47 



But nigra — tall, exquisitely frail and graceful — is surely 

 one of the loveliest things in the garden, growing into a 

 gradually increasing central mass, whence ail the fairy- 

 like culms arch outwards, but never sending invading 

 shoots to conquer the territory far and wide. Henonis 

 is another gracious beauty, too, but my Henonis flowered 

 and died. So no more of him. Bambiisa Maximowiczii 

 is a compact, medium-sized plant at present, very plumy, 

 but stiff, in which I am inclined to have a certain amount 

 of confidence, though in charm he cannot hope to rival 

 the grassy elfin -grace of nigra. Erecta has been my 

 latest surprise. It seemed a neat, mild grower, whose 

 habit was a tuft, and whose height was about three or 

 four feet of stiff culms. What, then, was my amazement 

 when, last season, my Erectas, one and all, made 

 new growths three inches round or more, that went 

 sailing stiffly heavenward to eight or ten feet, with 

 promise of corresponding increase again next season. As 

 this seems a perfectly safe and hardy Bamboo, it will 

 probably prove of very high value in the garden, more 

 especially as it forms a clump and does not run. As for 

 MetaJce, dear and gracious old friend, first of its race to 

 prove to us how ridiculous it was of us to be timid and 

 nervous about trying Bamboos in our climate — well, 

 MetaJce itself is a little too vigorous, despite its wonder- 

 ful beauty, to be admitted to the rock-garden. And 

 senanensis is too mucli of a new-comer to be prophesied 

 about yet, although already I think I can proclaim that 

 he is hardy and very graceful. 



With regard to the culture of Bamboos, and recording 

 again my warning that for the rock-garden only rusci- 

 folia can be trusted on the rock-work, and only nigra 

 and erecta in bigger places, with only nigra, erecta and 

 Maximowiczii in the bog, I can go on to say that the 

 sole requirement of the hardy Bamboos is a rich, cool, 



