178 GARDENS OF ENGLAND 



bring about these changes certam conditions in 

 r^ard to sunlight, temperature, and moisture are 

 necessary, but in a climate such as that of Britain, 

 where the seasons are never alike two years to- 

 gether, we can never hope to obtain the same 

 regularity of autumnal colouring that characterises 

 the vegetation, for instance, of the Eastern United 

 States. But we have in our gardens many trees 

 and shrubs which put on an exquisite livery of 

 crimson, purple or gold, yet it is curious that 

 every season we may notice species not usually 

 conspicuous for their autumn tints, beautifully 

 coloured. 



An over- vigorous, sappy growth, often the result 

 of a wet, warm autumn, or too rich a soil, is 

 certainly detrimental to autumn colouring, but the 

 few trees and shrubs I mention are fairly constant. 

 One of the most beautiful of trees for its autumn 

 colouring, which lasts into the winter, is the variety 

 of the American oak named splendens. Then 

 there is the warm golden colouring of one of the 

 rarer hickories, Carya tomentosa, and the common 

 elm is one of the most beautifid of all its golden- 

 leaved race. It is beautiful not only for its foliage in 

 autumn but its outline in ^vinter — a picturesque tree, 

 though unfortunately dangerous when it approaches 



