June 11, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
487 
name, the final letter having become suppressed, hence Lilac. A few 
Lilacs, then, worthy of note and of culture that I saw flowering at 
Calmpthout are the following—Dr. Lindley, massive trusses of purplish 
lilac flowers ; Alba grandiflora, splendid spikes of large pure waxy blooms ; 
Gloire de Moulins, very free, dark, and effective ; Goliath, immense 
trusses of dark lilac flowers ; Due d’Orleans, soft rose colour, late, 
distinct, and attractive ; Schweelavina, silvery blush, what most ladies 
would describe as “ sweetly pretty ; ” Verschaffelti, pale lilac, bold 
trusses ; Rubra insignis, dark lilac, massive heads; Gloire de Courcelles, 
very large, medium colour, late ; Madame Briot, lilac deepening to violet, 
the darkest of all ; Hyacinthiflora, a distinct and beautiful variety with 
fine spikes and symmetrical double flowers ; and azurea plena, double, free 
and effective. 
This is the best and most distinct assortment of Lilacs I have ever 
seen ; the varieties would add a feature of interest to any garden, and 
hence their names are recorded here. 
A similar trial has been made with Honeysuckles, all the varieties 
possible having been procured and grown long enough for testing their 
merits. The result of this is, that from scores they have been reduced to 
about a dozen that are really distinct and meritorious. Instead, however, 
of publishing the names of these, space can be more usefully employed by 
giving a hint on supporting the plants. They are secured to poles along 
each side of a walk, and this Honeysuckle section is very delightful from 
now onwards through the season. The poles employed have roots. They 
are really young Fir trees—Conifers of various kinds that have been 
divested to a great extent of their side branches. Some of them are dead, 
while others are permitted to push a few sprays ; but even those that are 
p.felessare found to last very much longer than if they had been chopped 
the year have no superiors and few equils as dwarf to medium-sized 
flowering shrubs, and they are represented in great variety of colour 
from white through all the shades of rose to purplish crimson, some 
having gold and silver variegated leaves. They do not need rich soil, 
and the less they are pruned the better, for as soon as they produce 
hard short-jointed wood they flower in profusion. Spiraeas also are 
under trial by Mr. Van Geert, with the object of weeding out several that 
are inferior and correcting the nomenclature, which is more or less 
confused. The most effective that was flowering in May was S. pruni- 
folia flore plena. It is well enough known in England, and is grown in 
many nurseries, from which it should pas3 in ten times greater numbers 
than it does into gardens all over the land. 
Amongst the ornamental-foliaged deciduous trees the Golden Elm, 
Ulmus Dampieri aurea, attracted notice by its bright golden leaves, 
which, I am informed, retain their colour quite through the season. 
This tree must therefore be conspicuously effective in association with 
the prevailing green of ornamental plantations. In rich contrast were 
the crimson Plane-leaved Maples, especially Acer platanoides Reitenbachi 
and A. p. Schwedleri, that were quite glowing in colour, while A. Pseudo- 
Platanus Woolei, the Golden Sycamore, is extremely telling. Tulip 
Trees are represented in various forms and colours, some of the varieties 
having originated here, and are highly distinct, while of Oaks there is a 
very complete collection. 
Evergreens embrace rich collections of Hollies, Rhododendrons, and 
Box. Most of the Hollies we have in England, but of one variety I never 
saw such a fine stock—namely, Ilex camelliacfolia. I am inclined to 
think Mr. Van Geert is either the raiser or introducer of it; but whether he 
is or not, it is a free-growing, bold, smooth-leaved handsome variety. It 
Fig. 119 .—Van Geert’s Plant Shade. 
ff and the stems merely inserted in the ordinary way, By digging them 
up and planting instead of chopping off and sticking in, they are rendered 
much more firm, besides being more durable, and hence this simple plan 
is highly recommended. Those supports that are alive and allowed to 
grow somewhat will last a lifetime, and they do not in the slightest degree 
impede the growth of the plants with which they are clothed. 
Particular attention appears to be paid to hardy deciduous Magnolias, 
and Mr. Van Geert cannot understand why these handsome spring-flower¬ 
ing trees are not more extensively grown in England. They endure the 
Belgian winters, which are, as a rule, more severe than the winters in 
England, at least in the southern counties. Magnolia conspicua is grown 
somewhat sparingly around London, and is the most beautiful flowering 
tree of its season, being conspicuous indeed, especially in the twilight 
when laden with its large almost Water Lily-like flowers. But dozens of 
varieties are grown at Calmphtout, and they stand the winters as well as 
do Hollies and Rhododendrons. Possibly the autumns are brighter on 
the Continent than with us, and the wood is better ripened; this, however, 
is only surmise, but it is a fact that Pear and Apple trees that ought to be 
equally well ripened have suffered far more severely in Belgium than 
they did in this country during the late severe winters. It seems some¬ 
what strange, then, if the handsome Magnolias would not live, grow, and 
flower in British gardens. 
Hibiscus syriacu3 in variety, which is certainly one of the most hand¬ 
some of summer-flowering shrubs, apparently receives more attention on 
the Continent than with us, a dozen distinct forms being grown in the 
nursery in question. In Battersea Park the splendid bushes of this 
shrub are the most beautiful objects in the shrubberies in August, and it 
is a little surprising they are not more extensively grown in private 
gardens. They are not particular as to soil; the main point is not to 
overcrowd them, but let them have plenty of sun and air to ripen their 
growths. 
Precisely similar remarks apply to Weigelas, which at this season of 
is quite as free and as noticeable as Ilex Hodginsi, which is one of the 
bast of all evergreens for towns, and hence is in great demand in manu¬ 
facturing districts. For the same purpose the Camellia-leaved Holly is 
almost certain to prove at least as good, while it is decidedly more hardy, 
Hodgins’ Holly bearing unmistakeable marks of injury by frost, while the 
others passed through the same winters unscathed. In sharp contrast is 
Fortune’s Holly, Ilex Fortunei, with leaves like Box, and variegated, also 
the Myrtle-leaved Holly, dwarf and dense. 
Amongst the Boxes the Japanese varieties arrest notice, especially the 
varieties of Buxus Fortunei, some 'of which are of a bright tender green, 
almost buff, yet, to use a familiar colloquism, are as “ hard as iron.” But 
the most striking of all is B. japonica aurea, or, as it is popularly known, 
Van Geert’s Golden Box. It is sufficiently dwarf in habit as to be suitable 
for edgings, and long lines of it are seen as bright as the Golden Feather 
Pyrethrum, yet when let alone it forms globular golden masses that show 
to great advantage near the margins of shrubberies. Some very good 
examples of it may be seen planted round a mass of Conifers in the 
grounds of the International Exhibition at Antwerp, and others still finer 
in King Leopold’s Park at Laeken. Frost has never been known to in¬ 
jure this the brightest of all varieties of the hardy genu3 to which it 
belongs, and it would seem to be only a question of time for it to spread 
iuto all European gardens. It stands alone in its distinctness and its own 
peculiar effectiveness. 
Mahonia rotundifolia Hervei is particularly fine and smooth, no 
spines, and M. latifolia far excels the typical species M. aquifolia. 
Crataegus Pyracantha Lalamdi is also superior to the type, forming a hand¬ 
some pyramid which flowers and fruits freely. Hedera arborea fructo- 
lutea was studded with golden berries, and the Ledums, buxifolia and 
palustris, clothed with pure white flowers are admirably adapted for 
rockeries. And so I might go on ; but a little, and it can only be a little, 
should be said about Conifers. 
The collection of these is without doubt one of the best in Europe ; and 
