854 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



desired the female plants, of which the flowers are inferior, should be 

 obtained and planted near the males. 



Diostea juncea looks just like a Cytisus, except that its leaves are 

 opposite ; it has violet flowers and belongs to the Verbenaceae. 



Osmanthas aquifolium. — We have the type and most of the varieties 

 of this useful Japanese shrub, viz. ilicifolius purpureas, myrtifolius, 

 rotundifolius, var. aureum and var. argentea. Except the golden form 

 they all thrive very well on our heavy soil. 



Xanthorrhiza apiifolia might be mistaken for a low-growing Spiraea ; 

 it has brownish purple flowers in April, and is excellent for planting in 

 damp ground in shade. 



Primus nana rosea is a remarkably pretty dwarf shrub in spring. 

 Primus japonica flore pleno and ditto roseo are both quite a sight in 

 early May. Unlike others of the family they are much the better for 

 hard pruning directly after they have flowered. 



Artemisia tridentata has a fastigiate habit, silver-grey foliage, and the 

 same aromatic smell as the old-fashioned A. Abrotanum (southern wood 

 or old man) ; it is, however, much superior^to it as an ornamental shrub. 



Suaeda fruticosa (Salsola fruticosa), a plant of upright growth, is 

 condemned by Nicholson as having "no horticultural value," but any 

 shrub with silvery grey foliage, like this, is useful for contrast in a 

 shrubbery. 



Ligustrum Delavayanum is a sub-evergreen of flat-branching habit 

 and has refined grey-green leaves ; I fear it will not prove absolutely 

 hardy. This last remark applies also to L. strongylophyllum, which is 

 not unlike it in appearance. L. yunnanense has an upright growth 

 and light green, deciduous, almond-like leaves ; it is curiously unlike a 

 Privet. L. vulgare alb. marg. has a grey effect at a little distance, which 

 reminds one of a Willow. L. vulgare elegantissimum is a silver weeping 

 form which should be grown as a standard. L. lucidum tricolor is a 

 handsome evergreen having a soft yellow variegation with a rich pink 

 edging. L. japonicum coriaceum is a slow-growing evergreen thickly 

 covered with shining leathery, shell-like foliage. The variety involutum 

 of this last has the leaves turned every way, like a bottle brush. 

 L. Quihoui, a free-growing species, with large loose white panicles of 

 flowers late in the summer, is perhaps the finest bloomer of all the privets. 

 L. Ibota (L. ciliatum), very distinct, is a pretty shrub from Japan, with 

 thick fleshy leaf and pure white flower in August. 



Hamamclis. — We have all the four species, viz., H. japonica var. 

 Zuccariniana, H. arborea, H. mollis, and H. virginica. Flowering as 

 they do in mid-winter gives them a special value, but virginica has the 

 least merit and mollis the most. Our plant of this last is 5 feet high, 

 and the Kew experts say it is the finest in the country. 



Ulex Gallii has the advantage of being in full flower in October, when 

 gorse bloom is scarce. U. europaeus strictus is a curiously stiff, erect 

 form. 



Olearia stellulata (Eurybia Gunniana) is a glaucous, narrow -leaved 

 evergreen with profuse small white, starry flowers in June (fig. 45). 

 0. macrodonta (0. dentata) is a beautiful grey holly-leaved evergreen from 

 New Zealand, but is not truly hardy with us. 



