58 
A FEW FLOWERS 
earth in winter. 
In spring they 
come up as the 
buds swell, and, 
finding the 
bushes once 
more enjoyable, 
rush on them 
as joyously as 
children from 
school over a 
meadow of cow¬ 
slips; over bush, 
over brake, on 
mountain or 
lowland copse, 
holding on with 
delicate but un¬ 
yielding grasp, 
they engrave 
themselves on 
the mind as the 
type of grace. In addition to the climbing Pea Flowers, 
Convolvuluses, etc., of which the stems die in winter, we 
have the Wild Grape vines, noble in foliage and often in 
fruit, the numerous Honeysuckles, from coral red to pale 
yellow, all beautiful, and the Clematis, rich and varied 
beyond description, from those of which each petal reminds 
one of the wing from some huge butterfly to those with 
small flowers, borne in showers, like drops from a fountain jet, and often 
sweet as Hawthorn blossoms. 
All to be done is to put in a few plants of any desired kind and leave 
them alone, adapting the kind to the position. The large, flesh-colored 
Bindweed, for example, would be best in rough places or in the grass, so 
that its roots would not be where they could harm, while a delicate, large- 
flowered Clematis might be placed beneath the choicest specimen Conifer and allowed to paint 
its rich green with fair flowers. 
Sometimes, where there are large and bare slopes, an excellent effect may be obtained by 
planting the stouter climbers, such as the Wild Grape vines, Clematis flammula, and Honey¬ 
suckles, in groups or masses on the grass, away from shrubs or trees ; while, where the banks 
are precipitous and the rocks crop forth, we may allow a curtain of climbers to fall over them. 
One of the happiest of all ways of using hardy climbers is that of training them in a free 
manner over trees. In this way many beautiful effects may be had. In some low trees the 
graceful companion may garland their heads ; in tall ones the stem only may at first be 
,1 ml i v adorned. But some vigorous climbers could, in time, ascend the tallest trees; and there can 
tyre of smali.-flowered, BUT ^e nothing more beautiful than a veil of such a one as Clematis vitalba suspended from the 
vigorous-growing and branches of a tall tree. 
VERY DECORATIVE CLEMATIS. 
Some time ago I saw a Weeping Willow on the margin of a lake that had its trunk 
clothed with "Virginia Creeper, and the sun shining through the drooping branches of the Willow — whose leaves were just 
becoming tinged with gold — upon the crimson of the creeper-covered trunk was very fine. The Hop is a very effective 
plant for draping a thin specimen Arbor-vita: or Yew tree, but its shoots should be thinned out in spring, and not more 
than three or four allowed to climb up to the tree. When the leader emerges from the top of the bush and throws its long, 
graceful wreaths of Hops over the dark green foliage the contrast is most effective. The Wistaria, if planted before its 
support has become old, will combine with excellent effect with any single specimen of not too dense a habit. The Aristo- 
lochia sypho (Dutchman’s Pipe) is another excellent vine for tree drapery, and there is no tree too tall for it, and we need 
not urge the beauty of the climbing Roses or how greatly their effects will be enhanced if scrambled over low trees. 
Another use for hardy climbers is covering the walls of dwelling houses, and if the building be a small cottage or low, 
old-fashioned house, then almost all the climbers are appropriate, but on the modern brick or frame building there are but 
few that should be used, and the very best of these is the Ampelopsis Veitchii. It is so good that we think it useless to name 
any other, as it will quickly cover any surface, brick, stone or wood, with a thick and lovely covering of green, which in the 
fall turns to innumerable shades of crimson, gold and bronzes of indescribable beauty. It holds its foliage until very late in 
the fall. Last season it was still beautiful in December. 
