194 GARDENS OF ENGLAND 



sparsely reticulated with white around the central 

 yellow band. The flowers are very fragrant and 

 last fresh a long time. /. rosenhachiana is another 

 charming flower. This also shows much variation 

 in tint, some of the blooms being of a rich crimson 

 maroon, with a golden blotch on the falls, others 

 lavender spotted with purple. Some are white and 

 violet, and some are yellow veined with purple. 

 Where a dozen or more blossoms are expanded at 

 the same time the assortment of colour shown is 

 very pleasing. 



One of the Almond family blooms in winter. 

 This is Prunus davidiana, named after the Abb^ 

 David, who introduced it from China. In the 

 south-west it often opens its first blossoms in 

 January. There are two varieties bearing respec- 

 tively white and rose-coloured flowers. Of these 

 the white is to be preferred, being a freer bloomer 

 and more effective when seen against a dark back- 

 ground. A standard tree, growing in a sheltered 

 nook, surrounded by sombre foliage, such as that 

 of fir or yew, makes a pretty picture when its 

 long shoots are studded through their entire length 

 with pure white blossoms, each an inch across. 

 The pink-flowered form, known as rubra, provides 

 a welcome note of colour when it can be induced 



