THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



August, 1915 



true. To the people of Massachusetts it 

 would sound ridiculous nonsense! 



Therefore, in writing on horticultural 

 matters, and especially on those which are 

 strongly influenced by climate, it is nec- 

 essary that one specify to what particular 

 part of the country his statements are in- 

 tended to apply. It is unfortunate that 

 one's efforts must be circumscribed, but 

 the controlling factors are beyond human 

 restraint. In the case of this and other 

 articles to follow in this series it must be 

 remembered that they have definite refer- 

 ence mainly to gardens in the temperate 

 parts of eastern North 

 America. The scope is 

 broad, but details are 

 necessary; and it is climate 

 that controls these details 

 since the plants I write of 

 are recommended for the 

 embellishment of parks 

 and outdoor gardens. 



Eastern North America 

 is singularly rich in native 

 species of ornamental 

 flowering trees and shrubs, 

 and in spring and early 

 summer the waysides and 

 woodlands are everywhere 

 gay with conspicuous 

 flowers. About midsum- 

 mer this wealth of blossom 

 ceases in so far as woody 

 plants are concerned and 

 tall growing herbs in 

 meadow and swamp, in 

 thicket and forest-glade 

 proudly flaunt their multi- 

 colored flowers. Even in 

 cold New England Nature 

 so economizes that there 

 are very few weeks in the 

 whole year when abso- 

 lutely no flowers are to be 

 found outdoors. Taking a 

 lesson from Dame Nature 

 every well-ordered garden 

 should be so stocked that 

 a succession of flowers be 

 maintained. 



At summer resorts the 

 gardeners' efforts are 

 largely directed toward 

 the growing of plants 

 which blossom from the 

 beginning of July to mid- 

 September. Herbaceous 

 perennials, tender her- 

 baceous exotics, and cer- 

 tain bulbous plants, to- 

 gether with a few shrubs such as Rose of 

 Sharon {Hibiscus syriacus), the hardy Hy- 

 drangea (Hydrangea paniculala) and the ten- 

 der Hydrangea or Hortensia (H. opuloides, 

 commonly known as H. horlensis) and H. 

 opuloides var. otaksa are utilized to produce 

 the necessary display of flowers. Without 

 being critical it may be said that there is a 

 sameness in the floral displays of most 

 summer gardens which is varied only by 

 design and quantity. There is no par- 

 ticular reason for being dissatisfied, but, 



among woody plants which flower during 

 this season a much greater variety could 

 advantageously be grown and much beauty 

 and charm added thereby. The number 

 though relatively small is much greater than 

 many suppose. Some of these plants are 

 natives of eastern North America, a good 

 many are indigenous to China and Japan, 

 whilst others hail from various parts of 

 Europe and temperate Asia. Some of these 

 I now propose to discuss in brief detail. 



During the early part of July the Lindens 

 (Tilia), the largest genus of summer- 

 flowering trees, put forth their fragrant 



The Koelreuteria photographed in its native habitat. An excellent tree for midsummer flower; bright 

 yellow, pea-like blooms followed by curious inflated, bladder-like fruits 



honey-laden, pendant blossoms. The na- 

 tive Sweet Bay (Magnolia glaiica) with cup- 

 shaped white flowers is also in blossom, and 

 in wet seasons a second crop of flowers 

 appears on Magnolia cor data. This medium- 

 sized native tree has beautiful cup-shaped 

 yellow flowers and its history is more than 

 ordinarily interesting. It was originally 

 discovered by the, elder Michaux in the 

 neighborhood of Augusta, Georgia, some 

 time between 1787 and 1796, and by him 

 (or his son) introduced to France. The 



trees now in cultivation are derived from 

 these original introductions of Michaux. All 

 efforts to rediscover this Magnolia failed 

 until about two years ago when Mr. Louis 

 A. Berckmans accidentally "happened" 

 upon it in a dry wood some eighteen miles 

 south of Augusta. Michaux describes it 

 as a tree 40-50 feet tall but the recent 

 discoveries are bushes 4-6 feet tall. 



From the middle to the end of July the 

 Sourwood or Sorrel tree (Oxydendrum 

 arbor eum), another American tree, is in 

 flower. A native of the Appalachian mount- 

 ains where it grows thirty feet and more tall, 

 this member of the Heath 

 family is quite hardy in 

 Massachusetts where it 

 commences to blossom 

 when only a few feet high. 

 The white, urn-shaped 

 flowers are produced in 

 great profusion in termi- 

 nal, spreading, and slightly 

 drooping compound clus- 

 ters and last for a long 

 time. The bright green 

 leaves have a pleasant 

 acidulous taste and turn 

 in the autumn bright scar- 

 let. The Sorrel tree is 

 apparently free of disease 

 and is not subject to insect 

 pests; it is perfectly hardy 

 and well deserves a place 

 in every garden. 



Of the several hardy 

 exotic trees which flower 

 in July and August at 

 least three merit wider 

 recognition, viz. — Koelreu- 

 teria paniculata, the Japan 

 pagoda tree (Sophora ja- 

 ponica), and the Acantho- 

 panax (Kalopanax ricini- 

 folium). 



The Koelreuteria is na- 

 tive of northern China 

 and was introduced to 

 Petrograd from the neigh- 

 borhood of Peking some 

 time between 1740 and 

 1756. It was introduced 

 in 1763 to England by 

 Lord Coventry presum- 

 ably from Petrograd. 

 Though known in cultiva- 

 tion for over a century 

 and a half it is far from 

 being as generally planted 

 as its beauty warrants. 

 It is a small tree 20 

 to 30 feet tall with spreading branches, 

 large shining green, pinnately divided 

 leaves and erect much branched panicles 

 a foot and more high of numerous bright 

 yellow flowers which are followed by 

 bladder-like top-shaped fruits. In the 

 color of its flowers Koelreuteria is unique 

 among midseason flowering trees. It is 

 much cultivated in Peking gardens and 

 will withstand heat and drought as well as 

 cold. In the semi-arid valleys of western 

 China another and closely allied species 



