jakttahy 20, 1912. THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



-.9 



51 



CLIMBING PLANTS IN THE 

 BAGATELLE GARDENS* 



So numerous are the hardy chmbers that 

 liave been introduced from Western China 

 and other parts of the world within recent 

 years that the question of dispUiying their 

 <listinctive charms to the best advantage 

 lias become of considerable importance, 

 especially in gardens where they are rather 

 fully represented. In some gardens many 

 of the kinds can, with advantage, be uti- 

 lised in clothing the walls of the dwellilig- 

 house and other buildings within view of 

 the gardens, for not only is it desirable to 

 cover wall surfaces that are bare, but to 

 use some of the vitis for the purpose of ob- 

 taining a greater diversity of foliage than 

 when the ivies alone are planted. Some 



length with arches, as in the grounds of 

 Bagatelle, Paris, of which an illustration 

 is given herewith, a number of the finest 

 of the vitis, clematis, etc., may be grown 

 separately, and the owner of the garden' 

 given an opportunity of enjoying to the 

 full their varied charms. When several 

 members of the same group of climbers are 

 arranged in close association when a per- 

 gola is being furnished, they lose much of 

 their individuality ; but by constructing a 

 number of arches and allotting one to each 

 of the climbers, they have full opportunity 

 for the d'splay of their distinctive habit 

 and affording much pleasure to those who 

 derive interest from the study of indivi- 

 duality in plant life. The arches may be 

 of iron, and of the same shape as those in 

 the Bagatelle Gardens, or they may be of 

 wood, and with flat tops, if preferred; but 



HARDY SHRUBS FOR 



FORCING. 



Many kinds of these are well adapt-ed for 

 decorative purposes^ especially in a small 

 state^ as they make <lelightful pot plants, 

 and as many of them can be raised from 

 cuttings or seed, plants may be obtained in 

 quantity, provided there is convenience at 

 command for their production. Where 

 this is not possible suitable plants may be 

 purchased from a nursery at a cheap rate. 

 Some species are produced by grafting, and 

 these are best left to those who make a 

 special business of that branch of horticul- 

 ture. 



The light graceful sprays of the various 

 forms of deutzias, spirfeas, prunus, cerasiis, 

 viburnums^ syringas, philadelphus, pyrus. 



1 1 



("in:i:i'iii; clad ak( iiiis i\ Tin: gardens of bagatelle, parls. 



specially adapted for training to strong 

 ^^-^lliswork to form screens where it is de 

 Sired to separate one part of the garden 

 I to shut out some un- 



^Witly object. Again, several are well 

 tl ^^linibing stout poles, and where 



i mo.r^i'''^''^'''"'^^' I'^^^^^^i tliey present 

 suW.!.;^^ appearance, and render 



msf A assistance m removing any flat- 



at mav he evident in the part of the 



" V t]\ I ^^'^y have been arranged. 



andT-cb"^ employed in covering pergolas 

 P on^^^ ""^'\"^' ''''''' l^aVe such 



and r4"\*'^%^"^b^ IHM-olas 



than i,tc -mp^Y"'' ^''V^""'''' '''^^'^^ ^-'^^^ 

 the latte, J 1 J'""'' facilities which 



■^^^---'ra b o^^^^^^^^ separately. By 



b ^valk of some considerable 



in all cases they should be of sufficient 

 width and height to avoid inconvenience 

 to persons passing along the walk, and be 

 of sufficient strength to withstand strong 

 winds when fully clothed. 



nias in 



Flower.— The 



curious pitcher-like leaves of the sarracenias 

 arc Uvsually regarded as their principal claim 

 to recognitior., but the blossoms from their 

 strange shape and showy character must not 

 b.? altogether passed over. In this respect 

 Sarracenia rubra stands hrst, as apart from 

 the noble appearance of the deep red blos- 

 f-c*ms they nave also a pleasing violet-like 

 perfume. Though the flowers of S. flava are 

 of a pretty primrose tint, they have a din- 

 r.grceable rat-like odour. The purplish- 

 coloured flowers of S. Drumniondi have but 

 little or no scent. These sarracenias seem 

 now to have almost dropped out of cultiva- 

 tion ; at all events they are not as rruch 

 grown as thcv were 25 years ago.---\V. T. 



and some others form a list that could not 

 well fail to satisfy the most fastidious, but 

 those who wish for a still greater variety 

 mav include the various forms of azaleas, 

 Clethra alnifolia, and hydrangeas. If we 

 take the different kinds separately we shall 

 find that they will not all do treated alike, 

 as some require a peaty soil, others a light 

 rich loam. The kinds that are the most 

 ily excite<l by a gentle heat are thoso 

 that naturally flower early when grown in 

 the open ground, such as some of the 

 spiraeas and deut/Jas. Spiraea Thunl>ergi 

 and S. confusa arc most <lesir;ib](\ tho 

 last-named species producing its Howers 

 in small clusters like the hawthorn, 

 and is often c^alled the French May. \Mien 

 forced gently it is charming for decorative 

 purposes, its%mall pale-green foliage form- 

 ing a neat background to the delicate little 

 trusses of flowers. There are many of the 

 deutzias that are useful for forcing, but 



