January 17,1891. THE GABDENING WORLD. 
317 
pleasing mass. The most successful landscape gar. 
doners have always planted in this way, and in the 
neighbourhood of Loudon one may see excellent 
examples at the Crystal Palace by Sir Joseph Paxton, 
at the Regent’s Park Botanic Garden by Mr. Marnock, 
and in Battersea Park by Mr. Gibson, where one may 
see how shrubs develop themselves and form beautiful 
groups by thoughtful planting. In fact, the essence of 
tasteful landscape gardening lies in the skilful arrange¬ 
ment of the flowering trees and shrubs, their colours 
forming, so to speak, the high lights of the picture, 
while the evergreens and other trees form its body 
colour. 
Without attempting to enumerate the long catalogue 
of beautiful flowering trees and shrubs with which one 
may plant a garden in England at the present day, I 
shall endeavour to pass in review some of the more 
striking kinds that are in flower now, and of which I 
have numerous specimens before me, or those that 
will come into bloom between now and midsummer, 
and which might be planted in a moderate-sized garden 
with an adjoining park or meadow where the soil is of 
an ordinary loamy nature. Among the deciduous 
kinds, taken alphabetically, wehave the Horse Chestnut, 
such a well-known tree that I need only allude to the 
double-flowering variety, which, as a garden tree, 
seeing that the single is so abundant, is perhaps pre¬ 
ferable. It is more showy in flower, the flower spike 
being more massive and whiter, lasts in beauty longer, 
and does not produce fruit, which in a public park or 
garden is a consideration. jEsculus rubicunda, from 
North America, is one of our best trees of moderate 
growth, the flowers being very rich in colour, the finest 
variety, which should always be selected if possible, 
being of a deep rose-pink with yellow blotches ; and a 
new Continental variety named Brioti is said to surpass 
in depth of colour any variety that has been seen. 
jE. carnea is similar, but inferior in point of beauty of 
flower. The Amelanchier, or Snowy Mespilus, is 
indispensable, the whole tree being a sheet of white 
bloom in the middle of May. If only one is planted, 
A. Botryapium should be selected. It groups well 
with the Almond (Amygdalus), a favourite with every¬ 
one, it being the first harbinger of spring among trees. 
The macrocarpa variety of the Almond has the largest 
flowers, and the richest in colour is the Crimson Peach, 
also called in nurseries the double-flowering Peach. 
The Almonds and Peaches should be planted so as to 
• rise above a mass of low shrubs, and preferably with a 
background of evergreen, which relieves their leafless 
mass of flowers. Passing over the deciduous Berberises, 
as their autumn fruit is more remarkable than their 
flowers, we come to the Caraganas, a small group of 
Pea-flowered shrubs, of which it may be desirable to 
plant a representative, and C. arborescens should bo 
selected, it being a tall, dense-growing bush, with 
bright green foliage and yellow flowers. The Cherries 
(Cerasus) are so numerous that some consideration is 
needed to select the best. The common double white, 
C. Avium multiplex, is such a lovely tree that every 
garden should contain it, as well as C. domestica flore 
pleno. A smaller tree is C. serrulata or C. Sieboldi, a 
Chinese tree of very distinct growth, and crowded at 
this season with white, double flowers. Other double 
Cherries of exquisite beauty are those named C. 
Watereri and C. Juliana floribus roseis. The Mahaleb 
Cherry is, perhaps, too common for a garden, but the 
weeping variety of it should be in the most select list ; 
and likewise the weeping variety of the common Bird 
Cherry (C. Padus), which should always find a place in 
a park or ornamental meadow ; while the list of select 
Cherries might be extended to the North American 
Bird Cherries, C. serotina and C. virginiana, both fine 
trees. The Judas tree (Cercis Siliquastrum), of which 
some fine branches are before me, is quite a neglected 
tree in modern gardens, yet everyone admires the 
quaint old trees one sees in old gardens. It has, 
moreover, a peculiar interest in having been one of the 
earliest introduced trees from Southern Europe, having 
been a favourite in English gardens since the time of 
Gerard in the latter part of the sixteenth century. 
There is a very pale—almost white—variety of the 
Judas tree, but the Chinese and Canadian species are 
inferior. 
The Thorns (Cratregus) are most important flowering 
trees, all of small size, so that even a small garden may 
contain the best kinds. Of the common Thorn there 
are numerous kinds, a few of the best being the double 
scarlet (Paul’s Scarlet Thorn), the double white (mul¬ 
tiplex), the single scarlet (punicea), the pink (carminea), 
and the weeping white (pendula). What in a garden 
can be more beautiful than a group of these Thorns on 
a lawn by themselves, or rising out singly from a mass 
of evergreen undergrowth ? 
Among other species of Cratregus desirable to have in 
a choice selection would be C. coccinea (scarlet berries;, 
C. tanacetifolia, C. Crus-Galli var. pyracanthifolia, 
C. orientalis, and C. cordata ; but the list might be 
extended to a dozen good kinds. 
The Brooms (Cytisus) include the favourite white 
Spanish Broom, the common Broom with its varieties, 
the white, and C. Andreanus, which is shown here to¬ 
day for the first time, and is the admiration of everyone 
(fig. 39, p. 59). These early Brooms are capital plants 
for clothing dry banks, and the group might be made 
to include the beautiful kinds that flower towards 
autumn. The Daphne Mezereum, flowering as it does 
in winter and spring, must not be excluded on any 
account, and a pretty group might be made by the 
white and dark red (atro-rubrum) varieties. The 
Deutzias, though they will not be in flower for a month, 
must yet be in the list, particularly the double white 
D. crenata flore pleno and D. candidissima. Exochorda 
grandiflora, now in full beauty of bloom, has deservedly 
become a popular favourite in many gardens ; the pro¬ 
fusion of its large white blossoms and its spreading 
and elegant growth render it an admirable isolated lawn 
shrub. 
The Forsythias (F. suspensa and F. viridissima) are 
particularly valuable, as they flower in April when few 
other shrubs are in flower. Both have yellow flowers, 
and are very showy, F. suspensa being a slender 
weeping shrub suitable for isolation on lawns, or for 
banks or bold rockwork ; the other, being erect in 
growth, is more suitable for the fringe of the shrubbery 
group. 
Garrya elliptica, from California, though not showy, 
has a peculiar value, as it flowers in early spring, and 
when a good specimen is profusely hung with long 
green catkins is extremely graceful. It is generally 
planted against a wall, but is quite hardy in light-soils. 
Among the Genistas there are some choice shrubs. G. 
hispanica, the yellow Spanish Gorse, is one of the best, 
being something like the common Furze, but dwarfer, 
and forms a neat round bush, which in early spring 
glows with bright yellow bloom. As rock shrubs, G. 
tinctoria and its varieties and G. sagittalis are desirable ; 
and in late summer the tall Etna Broom (G. setnensis) 
and G. virgata are highly attractive, and may be 
grown well on the poorest soils. 
The Snowdrop Tree is not one to recommend for 
every garden, but where it succeeds is a beautiful small 
tree, being in June hung thickly with tiny white wax¬ 
like bells. The commoner species, also called the Silver 
Bell Tree, is Halesia tetraptera, and is preferable to the 
others, H. diptera and H. parviflora. 
The Sun Roses (Helianthemum), though generally 
grown in the rock garden, are well suited as an outer 
fringe to a shrub group planted on sloping ground, but 
they must have a light soil and all the sun and air 
possible. Besides the endless varieties of II. vulgare 
and H. polifolium, there is H. formosum, one of the 
most beautiful of all dwarf shrubs, its flowers being 
yellow with black spots. 
The Jasmines include some indispensable shrubs for 
a small garden, but only one, the favourite Jasminum 
nudiflorum, which flowers in winter and early spring, 
need be mentioned in this list, and a companion for it 
is the old-fashioned Kerria japonica, which is commonly 
seen adorning cottage walls ; but both are hardy 
enough to plant in open groups, and are especially 
suited for banks in a bold rock-garden. 
The Laburnum (L. vulgare) is a tree so well known 
that I need only refer to the best varieties of it, which 
are all much superior to the common kind usually 
planted. The varieties named Watereri, Parkesii and 
Carlieri should always be planted in preference to the 
ordinary kind. The selection should also include what 
is called the Scotch Laburnum (L. alpinum), a 
beautiful rich yellow, and with broad deep green leaves 
and dense racemes, produced after all the other 
Laburnums are past. An interesting tree is the 
curious L. Adami. which bears yellow and purplish 
flower clusters on the same branch, and it may be 
obtained from all good nurseries. 
The Magnolias are glorious spring-flowering trees, 
particularly the Chinese and Japanese species, which 
may be grown even in small gardens. No other tree 
or shrub can rival the beauty of the Yulan (M. 
conspicua) in full flower ; the great ivory - white 
blossoms are so plentiful as to make the tree a leafless 
mass of white, 20 or 30 ft. in height in fine specimens. 
The varieties of it are several, the finest being those 
named Soulangeana, nigra, Alexandria, and Norbertii, 
all having large flowers, more or less tinted with 
purple, and were probably originated by intercrossing 
M. conspicua with M. obovata (M. purpurea), of which 
the splendid M. Lenne is a variety. Every variety of 
these eastern Magnolias is worth planting, but prefer¬ 
ence should be given to those named. They are 
capital trees for a small lawn, as they do not grow 
large, but they must be planted in the open, in good 
soil, and not in the shade. The very early-flowering 
M. stellata or M. Halleana is a gem among small trees, 
being in April and early May a mass of white flowers 
before the leaves appear. The larger American species, 
M. acuminata, M. cordata, M. tripetala, and M. auricu- 
lata are all handsome trees, but not so showy as the 
others, and do not come under the definition of select 
flowering trees ; but a place should always be given to 
the deliciously-fragrant M. glauca and its variety, M. 
Thompsoniana, which for several weeks in summer bear 
large cup-shaped ivory-white blossoms. 
The North American Nuttallia cerasiformis is a 
welcome shrub in early spring, bearing flowers re¬ 
sembling a white-flowering Currant, which shrub (Ribes 
sanguineum) of course must always be found in a good 
shrubbery ; but instead of the common kind the rich- 
coloured variety, atro-rubens, should be planted, and 
may be grouped with the white (album) variety, the 
yellow (R. aureum), and R. Gordonianum, which is 
intermediate between R. aureum and R. sanguineum. 
A very pretty shrub is R. speciosum, so much like a 
red Fuchsia that it is also called R. fuchsioides. It is 
Californian, blit quite hardy in light soils. 
(To be continued.) 
-- 
NOTES FROM NEW SOUTH 
WALES. 
We have had rather a trying spring—more rain, I 
believe, than last year, and a prevalence of very trying 
winds. This was particularly hard on the Rose 3 , the 
trees being much debilitated by the continuous rains 
last summer and autumn. As a result, the Roses, 
though large numbers were shown at our October 
exhibition, were not up to previous displays in quality, 
particularly the H.P.’s, and it has, I think, led to the 
conviction that this is not the most reliable or desirable 
class in our climate. In a favourable autumn the Teas 
and Hybrid Teas are especially good during March, 
April and May, and that without a great amount of 
attention—a thing very much in their favour, as we 
have yet to see real show blooms grown in any quantity 
here, and the show Roses of the old country are mostly 
not so generous as to give exhibition flowers unless 
their demands are fully complied with. 
One of the chief attractions at the show were the 
dinner-table decorations, seven or eight competing for 
the honours. Altogether the society has made fair 
headway, as the show, in spite of the drawbacks, was a 
distinct advance. The exhibits on this occasion nearly 
filled the floor of the old exhibition building, with no 
more room left for spectators than was necessary. Lady 
Carrington, amidst her numerous engagements, conse¬ 
quent upon her approaching return to England, again 
paid the society the compliment of opening the show. 
In February, according to present arrangements, a 
grand Dahlia show is to be held in conjunction with a 
fruit display, and at the usual season what we hope will 
prove the grandest Chrysanthemum show ever seen in 
the Colonies. We have here a local society which is 
also doing good work. In all these things there is an 
uphill fight; they have not only to be initiated but 
maintained, the latter often being the more difficult 
task. 
We have had our troubles here as well as those in 
the old country. The strike which commenced in the 
shipping trade and threatened to lay up all industries, 
died out quietly at last. No one, I fear, has derived 
any benefit, and the bad effects will be felt for some 
considerable time, business not being in a flourishing 
state before. 
If it were not for raising a tempest, and I am too far 
off to enter into warfare, I should much like to ask the 
“authorities” a few questions about some Roses of 
recent introduction. I would ask how they can still 
describe the American conception, White Perle, as being 
a sport from Perle des Jardins ? And in what respect 
is Souvenir de S. A. Prince distinct from The Queen’ 
(American), unless the former is a batter grower and 
freer bloomer 1 The same opinion holds good, so far 
as I am concerned, with regard to Maid of the Mist and 
White Lady. Some of the French descriptions have 
proved very delusive during the last three or four 
years.— C. B., Hnmebusli , Dec. 1st, 1890. 
