ON TREES AND SHRUBS. 



397 



care being taken not to expose it to cold, biting winds. With 

 a free use of the knife it can be made a useful addition to the 

 shrubbery border skirting the flower-garden Trained to a single 

 stem, the latter will, if cut down nearly to the base in October, 

 throw up strong shoots 6ft. to 8ft. high the following year which, 

 with the exceptionally large and handsome pale green leaves, 

 give the plant quite a sub-tropical appearance. Its purplish- 

 violet sweet-scented flowers are borne in terminal panicles, but 

 they frequently suffer from 

 late spring frosts. Apart 

 from its attractive flowers it 

 is well adapted for park 

 decoration. 



Philadelphus (Mock 

 Oranges) are easily-accommo- 

 dated shrubs, usually having 

 •fragrant flowers. The common 

 species, P. coronarius, a 

 native of South Europe, is 

 being superseded by some 

 of the more recently intro- 

 duced kinds, but deserves 

 a place in the woodland ; 

 it sometimes grows vigorously 

 in unfavourable soils and 

 situations, and is therefore 

 too useful a shrub to be 

 entirely neglected. P. c. 

 foliis argenteo-variegatis is 

 happy in a warm soil — not 

 otherwise — or under the shade 

 of trees, as its ^leaf-colour 

 fades. P. c. foliis aureis is 

 the golden-leaved variety, and 

 a capital shrub for planting 

 in masses in an open sunny 

 position ; it is more satis- 

 factory than the last-named, 

 and succeeds well in cold, 

 close soils, but not under the branches of trees. For planting 

 on sandy banks it is as effective as the yellow-leaved Elder, 

 and hot summer suns are not hurtful. P. Gordonianus 

 (Fig. 256), an American species, is vigorous and upright in 

 growth ; its large white, almost scentless flowers are borne 

 in rich abundance, and about five weeks later than those of 

 P. coronarius. P. grandiflorus (P. speciosus), also of American 

 origin, bears enormous pure white sweet-scented flowers ; it is a 

 free grower, and requires plenty of head-room, P. g. laxus 



Fig. 256. — Philadelphus 

 Gordonianus. 



