PLATE 14. 
EARLY FLOWERING SPIR^AS. 
The shrubby Spiraeas constitute a very important group of hardy shrubs, 
and by a careful selection of species and varieties, it is not difficult to find 
one or more in blossom during seven or eight months of the year. The 
numerous species can be easily separated into two distinct groups, early 
and late flowering. The first of these groups may be said to be in season 
from February to June, the second from June to September, or sometimes 
October. In addition to the season of flowering, the arrangement and 
colour of the blossoms in these two groups are in most instances quite 
different, for, while the blooms of the early ones are from axillary buds, 
those of the later ones are usually in terminal inflorescences, and, while 
the colour of the flowers of the early ones is either white or in a few 
cases cream, the colour of the late ones may be white, pink, cream, or red. 
The early flowering set consists of a large number of species and 
a few hybrids, the former being chiefly of European and Asiatic origin 
For ordinary establishments a few may be selected which are head and 
shoulders above the others for decorative purposes, and these are 
mentioned below. 
So far as cultivation is concerned they present no difficulties to the 
gardener, for they thrive in any really good garden soil, and require 
little pruning, other than thinning to keep the centres of the bushes open. 
In addition to their value for out-door work, beds, shrubberies, etc., they 
are of considerable worth for forcing, as flowers are borne with great 
freedom and they can be got into blossom early with little trouble. 
The selection given below is composed of the early flowering section. 
S. arguta. —An April flowering hybrid which probably originated 
through the crossing of S. media and S. Thunbergi. It grows to a height 
of five or six feet, and is often as far through, with tiny, pale green 
leaves, and thin, wiry branches. The flowers are glistening white and 
borne along the whole of the upper side of last year’s wood. For general 
work it is probably the best of all. 
S. bracteata. —A strong growing , Japanese bush, five to six feet 
high and as far through. The branches are rather strong and bear freely 
in May and June, good sized, flattened heads of white blooms. 
S. CANA. —This is a European plant forming a dense tuft of twiggy, 
wiry branches, rarely more than one-and-a-half or two feet high. The leaves 
are small and more or less oval, the flowers white and borne freely during 
May and June. 
S. canescens. —A Himalayan species which grows to a height of six 
or eight feet, with long arching branches. The leaves are small, downy, 
and greyish in hue, especially on the under surface. The white flowers 
are borne during May and June in dense corymbs. 
