20 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



R. Broughtonianum, R. concessum, R. 'Cynthia/ R. ' Doncaster,' 

 R. Everestianum, R. fastuosum flore pleno, R. 1 Helen Waterer,' 

 R. ' Kate Waterer,' R. 1 Lady Eleanor Cathcart,' R. ' Marchioness 

 of Lansdowne,' R. ' Mrs. Holford,' R. ' Pink Pearl,' R. ' Sappho,' 

 R. ' The Queen,' and the early varieties previously mentioned. 



Next to the Rhododendron comes the hardy Azalea, which the 

 botanists tell us ought to be called Rhododendron also ; the earliest 

 is the old sweet-scented yellow A. pontica. This is followed closely 

 by A . mollis, and the hybrid varieties, all of which are worth growing. 

 They give a range of colour from white to red, with many mixtures 

 and intermediate shades. I will mention a few of the best which 

 ought to be in every collection : Altaclerensis, ' Bouquet de Flore,' 

 coccinea speciosa, Daviesii, 'Anthony Roster,' 'J. C. Van Thol,' 

 ' Madame A. Koster,' ' Aida,' and ' Norma.' I find Azalea amoena — 

 which is one of the species and often grown in greenhouses — is quite 

 hardy at Belvoir, and looks very beautiful when in bloom if surrounded 

 by the green grass. Another species — A. occidentalis — ought to be 

 planted freely as it is the latest of all in flowering ; these are all slower 

 in growth than the Rhododendrons, especially during the first few 

 years, but require similar soil and cultivation. I have dwelt rather 

 long on Rhododendrons and Azaleas because they are the finest shrubs 

 we have for giving colour in the garden, and are worth every care and 

 attention in order to grow them well. 



Other early-flowering shrubs are Magnolia Soulangeana, Forsythia 

 suspensa, F. hybrida, Prunus triloba flore pleno, Cydonia japonica and 

 its varieties, C. Maulei, Amygdalus nana, Berberis Darwinii, B. 

 stenophylla, B. japonica, Cerasus Pseudocerasus, Cytisus albus, C. 

 Andreanus, Daphne Mezereum D. pontica, Deutzia gracilis, D. scabra 

 flore pleno, Tree Paeonies in many varieties, Philadelphus grandiflorus, 

 P. Gordonianus, P. ' Voie lactee,' Pyrus floribunda atrosanguinea, 

 P. Scheideckeri, Ribes sanguineus in various colours, Spiraea Thun- 

 bergii, S. arguta, S. prunifolia flore pleno, Styrax japonica, all 

 varieties of Lilac both single and double, Emboihrium coccineum, 

 Andromeda ovali folia, A. floribunda, A. japonica, Erica stricta, E. 

 arbor ea, E. carnea and its white variety, Azara microphylla, Camellias 

 in variety, Viburnum plicatum, Diervilla rosea and its varieties. Three 

 climbing plants must also be included : Wistaria sinensis, Clematis 

 monlana, and C. montana rubens. These can be trained on poles or 

 loosely over trees and bushes. There are other spring flowering shrubs 

 which have not proved hardy at Belvoir but are quite safe in the 

 neighbourhood of London, and in places farther south ; for instance, 

 the beautiful varieties of Amygdalus which make such a fine display 

 at Kew, and most of the genera mentioned above have other varieties 

 and sub-varieties which are worthy of cultivation where space 

 permits. 



The taller-growing plants in the above list should be kept mainly 

 at the outer portion of the garden, leaving the dwarfer kinds, such 

 as Azaleas, Hsaths, and Tree Paeonies, to occupy the centre ; but the 



