4 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



it is the late summer and autumn, August, September, and October. It is 

 obvious, therefore, that spring-flowering plants would not be suitable in 

 such a garden ; hence we had to dispense with them to a very great extent, 

 much to my regret. We have had rather to depend upon the semi- 

 tropical vegetation that is presumably more characteristic of Southern 

 Japan ; therefore some plants that are not hardy in England have been 

 used. Some of these are not strictly indigenous to Japan, but are found 

 in the Chinese Empire and the East generally. A few of the pine 

 family have been planted ; but, knowing the drawbacks to their healthy 

 growth near London, caution has been exercised both in the number and 

 varieties planted. Bamboos thrive very well indeed, being always in a 

 presentable condition, but are, like Chmnaerops excelsa, at their best in the 

 autumn. The last named, in fact, is fresh and green all the winter 

 through, no artificial protection whatever being afforded to the plants ; 

 this palm should be more often planted in English gardens than it is, but 

 if possible let it be near to and slightly above the water level. Considering 

 the hardihood of Cliamaerops excelsa, it is surprising that it has been so 

 much neglected ; given shelter from the north, north-east and east, it will 

 thrive exceedingly well, and under such conditions it will not require any 

 protection in winter. Both bamboos and hardy palms are, with us, proof 

 against the " fog fiend." Other plants of evergreen character, Aralia 

 (Fatsia) Sieboldi and A. S. variegata answer our purpose admirably, 

 especially the latter, which is infinitely superior in leaf development and 

 general appearance to the type. We find that the so-called Sacred Tree of 

 Japan, Illicium religiosum, another evergreen, thrives remarkably well ; 

 its sweetly perfumed greenish-yellow flowers are freely produced. We 

 use Aucuba japonica around the outskirts as a shelter plant : it makes 

 high, dense bushes, which we find most useful in this respect. The 

 best of the pines are Pinus koraiensis, P. parviflom, and Abies polita. 

 The umbrella pine, Sciadopitys verticillata, we find thrives very well 

 when its essential needs are supplied — a peaty soil and abundant 

 moisture. Euonymus japo7iicus elegantissimus and Euonymus radicans 

 variegatus are both useful as dwarf plants, the latter being pegged 

 down between the stepping-stones. We use a few of the dwarfer 

 coniferae, such as the forms of Betinospora, B. plumosa aurea, and B. 

 leptoclada; the latter has really a pigmy manner of growth when it is 

 grown naturally. Another subject that does well with us is Podocarpus 

 7iiacrophylla, which is only of moderate growth, hence all the more useful. 

 Osmanthus ilicifolius is a most useful shrub also ; it is, in fact, at home 

 in almost any position, in the shade or exposed to the sun, and either in 

 a dry or a wet situation. I consider it to be one of the best plants ever 

 introduced from Japan by the late John Gould Veitch. I regret we are 

 unable to grow andromedas, which would, if for the sake of the foliage 

 only, be an acquisition. Amongst the dwarfer evergreens we group tall- 

 growing Japanese chrysanthemums in October arranged in distinct colours ; 

 for this purpose ' Soleil d'Octobre ' is one* of the best ; * President Hardy ' 

 is also a good colour — a deep chestnut. 



Deciduous Subjects. — Amongst deciduous plants the maple family 

 are perhaps the most effective as autumnal decorative subjects by reason 

 of the varied tints of bronzy red, golden-yellow, and crimson which they 



