ANNUAL CLIMBING PLANTS 23 



T. lobbianum, or the common Nasturtium of gardens 

 — T. majus. The former is the preferable of the two, 

 as it has smaller foliage and more flowers, and altogether 

 gives a much better effect. The slight additional cost 

 of the seed is well repaid. It seems unnecessary to 

 name the varieties of these Tropaeolums, as the best 

 will be found offered at a reasonable price in seedsmen's 

 catalogues, which those who wish separate colours may 

 study. Many prefer the mixed varieties, but a finer 

 effect is often produced by planting separate colours, 

 such as the fine scarlet T. 1. cardinale, the dark-foliaged 

 scarlet Fulgens, the spotless yellow Golden Queen, the 

 ivy-leafed scarlet hederaefolium, or the new Princess 

 Victoria Louise, with its creamy flowers blotched with 

 orange-scarlet, and with orange-red calyx and spur. 



Ever popular, too, is the Canary Creeper, T. pere- 

 grinum or aduncum, whose beautiful yellow flowers, on 

 equally attractive foliage, decorate so many walls in 

 summer and autumn. 



Still more popular, and more useful as yielding so 

 many charming flowers for cutting, is the Sweet Pea, 

 as Lathyrus odoratus is universally called. It does not 

 ascend so high, however, as the Tropaeolums, but is 

 exceedingly useful for covering low walls, trellises, and 

 rough hedges, draping them with its leaves and exquisite 

 flowers. The bush forms and the Cupid Sweet Peas 

 are, of course, of no use for climbing, and some day some 

 one will possibly make it more useful for our purpose 

 by raising still taller kinds. The removal of decaying 

 flowers or seed-pods is even more necessary when the 

 Sweet Pea is used as a decorative climber than in any 

 other way. Another favourite, which some class as a 

 half-hardy annual, is Ipomoea purpurea, the common 

 climbing Convolvulus major of gardens. Its correct 

 name of I. purpurea is rather misleading, as this twining 

 plant, which should be supplied with string or twiggy 



