CHAPTER V 



HARDY EVERGREEN CLIMBERS 



Importance — Uses — Ivy — Jasminum — Berberidopsis — Passifloras — 

 Clianthus — Ercilla or Bridgesia — Smilax — Bignonia — Tecomas — 

 Araujias — Cocculus — Holboellia — Stauntonia — Lardizabala — 

 Mitraria — Vitis striata — Billardiera. 



As may be expected in our climate, the number of 

 hardy climbing plants with evergreen foliage is com- 

 paratively limited, but their importance is relatively 

 large, as they are of immense utility in covering bare 

 walls and unsightly objects in winter, when the de- 

 ciduous plants are leafless and bare. It is only necessary 

 to think of the beauty of a common Ivy in its evergreen 

 garb in the leafless season for other plants to recognise 

 its value. The few evergreen climbers we have may, 

 of course, be supplemented by the evergreen wall shrubs 

 mentioned in another chapter, but like evergreens in 

 the shrubbery, they must be used with judgment, and 

 not planted indiscriminately to the exclusion of the 

 beautiful deciduous climbers. The fresh young leaves 

 of the deciduous climbing plants are delightful in spring, 

 and frequently die off with the most vivid colouring 

 when autumn comes. These evergreen plants ought 

 thus to be planted with due consideration, but it is 

 possible to make them add to the charms of the de- 

 ciduous ones by using them as a background to these. 

 Thus, a dark-leaved Ivy may form the ground-work 

 for a bright Jasmine or a slender Eccremocarpus, or 

 for many others of slender habit, whose flowers and 

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