SHRUB BORDERS AND HARDY FLOWERS. 



3 



A YUCCA GROUP. 



be a good deal retarded by the pruning in the preceding year, and even when left alone 

 the varieties in bloom extend over three or four months. 



On warm soils the Cistus, or Rock Rose, in all its varieties is a beautiful plant; the 

 hardiest are Cistus laurifolius, C. florentinus, C. crispus, and the Gum Cistus, C. ladaniferus; 

 also the smaller Helianthemums, which are best grown from seed. The yellow and white 

 tree Lupins (Lupinus arboreus), the Maidenhair tree (Salisburia adiantifolia), the Fringe tree 

 (Chionanthus virginica), which in early summer bears long clusters of white flowers with petals 

 long and narrow ; the Snow drop tree ( Halesia tetraptera), though it grows too large for a border ; 

 the beautiful Japanese Guelder Rose ( Viburnum plicatum), the shrubby Veronicas, the Angelica 

 tree (Aralia spinosa), and Hulalia japonica, the feathery panicles of which will expand 

 indoors if the branches are cut late in the autumn and stuck into a dry vase. In a damp 

 corner the grey-leaved Sea Buckthorn (Hippophas rhamnoides), both male and female kinds; 

 Buddleia globosa ; all the shrubby Spiraeas, but especially and without fail Spiraea Thunbergi, 

 the most useful of garden plants, from the time when in earlv spring, almost before a leaf 

 appears, its bare branches are covered with little starry white flowers, and its refined 

 feathery light green is a delight the whole summer, to the time when its leaves die in 

 autumn a golden yellow. Spiraea Lindleyana, which flowers in July, is a taller-growing 

 and most effective deciduous shrub To mention only two of a most useful family, the 

 dwarf evergreen shrub, Skimmia fragrans, would look well all the winter, and so would 

 pruned clumps of the large-leaved Ivy (Hedera) with yellow berries. 



In the south-east border the hardy Eucalyptus Gunni, with its silvery foliage, the dark 

 green Arbutus, and the handsome shrub Desfontainea spinosa; large masses of Yucca tilamentosa 

 and Y. gloriosa would vary the shrub growth, and until these grow old, clumps of the common 

 Seakale plants, with their handsome grey leaves, could be put in front of them. In favourable 

 localities, groups of the New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax) might be tried, although it 

 is not quite hardy, and would need protection in the winter. A selection of the various 

 Andromedas is always beautiful, and the hardy Hibiscus could be grown either as shrubs or 



