September 12, 1891. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
17 
FLOWERING AND ORNA¬ 
MENTAL BRAMBLES. 
Wild Brambles are very numerous all over the 
Northern Hemisphere, but much more rare in the 
Southern. Altogether there are reckoned to be 
about too distinct species. The varieties of some of 
the kinds, particularly R. fruticosus, are so nume¬ 
rous and some of them so distinct that authors 
differ greatly as to whether they should be con¬ 
sidered as species or varieties. A reference to 
the British Rubi will illustrate this. According 
to the Student’s Flora of the British Islands there 
are only four distinct species with a large number of 
varieties. 
In Babington’s Flora of the British Islands forty-five 
are reckoned sufficiently distinct to rank as species. 
Of these but a very small proportion is cultivated for 
use or ornament. The Raspberry (Rubus Idseus) is 
so well known for its fruit as to require no descrip¬ 
tion. The Bramble or Blackberry (R. fruticosus) 
grows in some form or other all over Europe, the 
north of Africa, western Asia and Siberia to north¬ 
ern India, and the fruit is gathered and eaten by 
children wherever it occurs. Improved forms and 
hybrids are now being cultivated to some extent for 
the sake of their fruits. Ornamental Brambles are 
not so much grown as they might be, and certainly 
not so much as they were in former years. 
The Common Bramble (R. fruticosus). —Of this, as 
has already been mentioned, there are many forms, 
some of which are highly ornamental. One of the 
commonest to be found everywhere on commons and 
in hedges is a pink-flowered variety known as R. f. 
discolor, with small leaves of a dark green above and 
almost of snowy whiteness beneath. The flowers are 
of large size and highly ornajnental. The darker 
flowered sub-varieties of it would make objects of 
great beauty in the shrubbery, or as large clumps 
in the pleasure ground. The finer sorts might be 
noted when in fi. wer upon the commons, and young 
specimens or suckers transplanted at the proper 
time. 
The double variety of this, namely, R. f. d. flore roseo 
pleno, has always been the greatest favourite amongst 
our native kinds. It was first recorded in Baumann’s 
Catalogue about fifty-three years ago, and has main¬ 
tained a position in some gardens ever since. At 
present its cultivation is again being extended, and 
deservedly so, for it is a shrub of handsome appear¬ 
ance when in bloom. The petals are very numerous 
and pink like those of their parent. Small plants 
flower quite freely, but the trailing shoots ultimately 
attain considerable length, and the plant should 
therefore be grown upon mounds in the pleasure 
ground or on high or rocky banks bordering on walks 
or drives, so that the long stems might hang down and 
appear to best advantage when in bloom. Another 
double variety existed at one time, but seems to have 
dropped out of cultivation, or to be overlooked in 
some old garden. This was known as R. f. pompo- 
nius and had large, double or semi-double white 
flowers. It produced the best display when planted 
and trained against a wall. 
The Cut-leaved Bramble (R. ladniatus ).— 
The origin of this plant is unknown, but it bears so 
close a resemblance to the common Bramble that it 
is usually considered an abnormal form of some of 
the varieties, from which it differs by the three to 
five leaflets being pinnately cut and deeply serrated. 
In this respect it would bear the same analogy to the 
Bramble as the cut leaved Elder to the type. The 
flowers are white or rosy, and the petals are three 
•lobed. The plant produces fruit in great abundance, 
and which would ripen in a sunny position or against 
a wall. 
Western or American Bramble (R. occidentalis). 
—Many years ago this was reckoned a highly orna¬ 
mental subject for the shrubbery where room could 
be afforded it. The stems are semi-erect and 4 ft. to 
6 ft. high. The flowers are white and the fruit, 
which is about the size and shape of that of the 
Raspberry, is black, ripening in July or August. The 
species has various popular names, such as Black 
Raspberry, Virginian Raspberry and Thimbleberry. 
It was originally introduced in 1696, or nearly 200 
years ago. 
Purple-flowering Raspberry (R. odoratus ).— 
This is altogether distinct from any of the above 
kinds, and bears little resemblance to the ordinary 
type of Bramble. The leaves are three to five lobed, 
cordate at the base, of a fine green, and sometimes 
attain a considerable size when planted in good soil 
and growing vigorously. The flowers are of a rich 
purple-rose, of large size, and produced in clusters 
terminating the shoots or stems, which vary from 3 ft. 
to 6 ft. in height. In its native habitats, the woods 
of Canada and on the Alleghany mountains, it pro¬ 
duces broad, flattened, reddish or yellow fruit, but 
rarely does so in Britain. The showy flowers and 
the handsome leaves, which are scented, are sufficient 
recommendations for the introduction of this Bramble 
to our shrubberies. The fruit in its native land is 
described as of fine flavour. It was originally intro¬ 
duced in 1700, and is now being more largely planted 
in this country, and certainly deserves it. 
Salmon Berry (R. spectabilis.) —On casual ob¬ 
servation this species bears some resemblance to the 
common Raspberry, for the leaves consist of three 
ovate more or less lobed and cut leaflets similar in 
texture to those of the plant named. The flowers, 
however, are of appreciable size, bright red, and pro¬ 
duced in May. The fruit is dark yellow or reddish 
and attains a great size, but is not very plentifully 
produced as a rule in this country. If planted in 
favourable situations on a wall, it would no doubt 
fruit more freely as it has done before. The flowers 
are fragrant, and the fruits are possessed of a pleasing 
acidity that renders them acceptable in tarts. The 
latter ripen in July. The Salmon Berry is therefore 
both useful and ornamental, and deserves a more 
extended cultivation. 
The Delicious-fruited Bramble (R. deliciosus). 
—The stems and leaves of this shrub are quite 
devoid of prickles or bristles at any period of their 
growth, but the leaves are covered with glands in 
the early stages of growth, and emit a strong, but not 
disagreeable, odour of soap-suds that may be per¬ 
ceived at some distance from the plant, but especially 
on the lee side of it. The flowers are large, pure 
white, developed in great abundance, and more 
resemble those of a single Rose than a Bramble. 
They are produced during the month of May, when 
the plant becomes at once an ornamental shrub of 
the first water. The fruit is possessed of a delicious 
flavour, but is rarely produced in this country. 
As an isolated shrub in the border or on the grass, it 
usually grows to a height of 3 ft. or 4 ft., but when 
trained against a wall it attains double that height, 
and should on no account be omitted from a collec¬ 
tion. It was introduced from North America as 
recently as 1870. 
The Southern Bramble (R. australis). —The 
curious and remarkable foliage of this species is 
probably unique in the genus. The leaves are con¬ 
structed on the same plan as those of the Common 
Bramble, but there are only three leaflets reduced to the 
midribs with a small portion of lamina at the very 
apex of each. The stems attain a great length under 
favourable circumstances and branch freely, while 
every part of the stems, leaves and flower stalks are 
covered with sharp, recurved prickles. The leaves 
of plants newly raised from seeds are ovate and much 
more like those of the usual type of Bramble, but 
this character is soon lost, and the plant develops 
into that form with which we are acquainted. The 
flowers are pink or white, but seldom, if ever, pro¬ 
duced in this country. The past winter cut it up 
badly, but young wood was thrown out from the main 
stems. The species is most suitable for covering a 
wooden fence or wall, and is thus able to stand the 
winter. Collectors would find it a most interesting 
subject. 
The Whitewashed Bramble (R. bijiorus )— 
Although not the only species with white stems, it is 
that usually seen in gardens, and comes from the 
Himalayas. The stems are covered with a white 
farinose powder, which remains upon them all the 
winter after the leaves have fallen, and gives those 
who are unacquainted with it the impression that the 
stems have been purposely whitewashed. The 
flowers are by no means conspicuous, but they are 
followed by yellow fruits in the autumn, and which 
are edible but not very highly flavoured, at least, in 
our climate. The stems are of biennial duration like 
those of the Raspberry, and attain a height of 10 ft. or 
12 ft. every year. The plant is suitable for training 
against walls or for large shrubberies. Fine effects 
might be produced by planting it in clumps together 
with the Golden Willow (Salix alba vitellina) or the 
red-stemmed Cornus alba, all of which are conspi¬ 
cuous after the fall of the leaf. This idea might 
more frequently be carrie4 out than it is, 
The Purple-haired Bramble (R phcenicolasius). 
■—Unfortunately this Bramble is not as hardy as the 
other kinds mentioned, although it comes from Japan. 
In the southern and more favoured parts of England 
it may succeed fairly well, but the best growth is 
produced when planted out in the bed of a large 
conservatory or greenhouse. Here the strong, up¬ 
right stems will attain a height of 10 ft. or 12 ft. well 
furnished with large leaves consisting of three leaflets. 
The whole plant is covered with reddish-purple, 
gland tipped hairs which suggest the specific name. 
The plant is showy lor this reason alone, and when 
well furnished with deep-red fruit, is certainly hand¬ 
some. 
The Rose-leaved Bramble (R. rosafolius ).— 
The temperature of a greenhouse is also necessary 
for this beautiful species with its finely pinnate Rose¬ 
like leaves. The flowers are white, and are succeeded 
by large, scarlet, edible but not highly flavoured 
fruit. The double form, R. r. coronarius, is by far 
the more popular of the two, and bears large, very 
double, pure white flowers resembling those of a 
small Rose. Both were introduced from the Hima¬ 
layas (some say from the Mauritius) in 1811. 
HYDRANGEA PANICULATA 
GRANDIFLORA. 
I should have thought that there could be no two 
opinions as to the hardiness of this shrub. Here we 
find it to be, even in such a severe and protracted 
winter as the last, hardier than many other kinds of 
shrubs reputed for their hardiness, as, for instance, 
Laurustinus and the deciduous Virburnum plicatum, 
both of which were severely nipped here last winter, 
while H. paniculata grandiflora was not the 
least touched with frost, and is now blooming very 
freely. 
I cannot, however, say so much for the varieties of 
the Hortensis type, as here they partake more of 
the sub-herbaceous habit, and are cut down to the 
ground every winter, and in such winters as the last 
killed outright where they were not well protected 
over their roots with ashes or litter. Only in the 
mildest of winters have their succulent shoots come 
through unscathed, and been in a condition to bloom 
at the proper season. 
It is in the succulency of their shoots which gives 
to the Hortense varieties of the Hydrangea a sort of 
sub-herbaceous habit, and their liability to be killed 
down to the ground annually, that would make many 
think that they are really “ herbaceous perennials," 
instead of half-hardy shrubs. But why use the 
term “ perennial ” at all in schedules of prizes, where 
both hardy annual and biennial flowers are admiss- 
able in collections of hardy flowers, be they from 
plants of a herbaceous habit or not. Hydrangea 
paniculata grandiflora is as much entitled to be 
termed a perennial as any other plant if the term 
simply means a springing into new life yearly, but, 
then, so would any other tree or shrub of a woody 
habit and nature. 
Through an understood custom of long use the term 
has been allowed to be applied and restricted in its 
use to a section of plants which annually die dowm 
in their tops but which keep alive in their roots 
through the winter, and then, at the call of genial 
spring, to again push forth stems and shoots to be in 
due time clothed with floral beauty. To this kind 
of plant botanists have given the term names, 
"herbaceous-perennials,” in contra-distinction to 
annuals and biennials, whose existence is for only one 
and two years respectively, dying at both root and 
branch as soon as they have flowered. 
I quite agree with your correspondent “ R. D." in 
thinking it would be better if the compilers of 
schedules of prizes would omit the terms "herba¬ 
ceous perennials " and put in their place “ hardy 
border flowers," with such qualifying term as " hardy 
shrubs not allowed.” I have frequently, when judg¬ 
ing at some of our local flower shows, been under 
the necessity of passing by, or disqualifying, meri¬ 
torious stands of collections of hardy flowers because 
they contained flowers which by no stretch of the 
imagination could be called " hardy ” border flowers. 
I have very often seen bunches of Pelargonium 
flowers used in collections of flowers which were 
intended to be hardy flowers, but where, in the word¬ 
ing of the schedule of prizes, it simply said border 
flowers, leaving it to the exhibitors to understand 
Jhat hardy flow ers were meant,— J. Kipling, Knebworth , 
