i January 11, 1913. 
THE GARDENERS’ MAGAZINE. 
27 
I THE WEEPING DOUGLAS 
FIR. 
»i Although nearly a century has passed 
i since the famous traveller and collector, 
II David Douglas, introduced the handsome 
m and useful fir that bears his name to this 
^ country, no contribution to the genus to 
5 which it belongs can well be regarded as 
its superior. Vigorous in growth and 
J noble in aspect, Abies Douglasi is well able 
rl to contribute appreciably to the charm of 
park scenery, provided the conditions of 
• soil and climate are favourable to the trees 
1 attaining their full development. In 
^ some parts of the United Kingdom, more 
especially Scotland and Ireland, it is re- 
^ garded with much favour as a timber tree, 
** with the result that large areas have been 
planted, and the woods and plantations 
^ formed with it constitute a distinct and 
^ pleasing feature of the scenery. The 
• Douglas fir is less useful in England than 
• in the other two parts of the kingdom as 
•j! a timber tree, because of the liability of 
f the leaders to injury when they are fully 
exposed to the cold winds that are usually 
^ experienced early in the year. It may be 
that the trees, in common with other coni- 
^ fers, fail to make so vigorous a growth as 
S could be desired in inland districts owing 
% to the atmospheric moisture being insuffi- 
cient during the seavson of growth. On 
■ the cooler soils of the north and west of 
lb England it grows in the most satisfactory 
lii manner, and many are the fine specimens 
pb that might be mentioned. There are some 
ti good trees in the Thames Valley, and the 
in specimen at Dropmore has a height of 
over 120 feet, and is the tallest in the 
m kingdom. 
im In the North of Scotland the Douglas 
'id. .fir has proved so satisfactory that 
U large numbers of trees have been planted 
^ for beautifying parks and pleasure 
isti grounds, and many woods and plantations 
;li.i have been formed for economic pur- 
^ poses. 
) ^ During the long period that has elapsed 
I since the Douglas fir was introduced to 
• g this country a few well-marked varieties 
have made their appearance, and have been 
given a place in those gardens in which 
some attention has been devoted to conifers. 
One of the most remarkable of these is 
the weeping form known as Abies Douglasi 
nfl pendula, of which there is a magnificent 
lb specimen in the gardens of Bury Hill, Dork- 
fHi ing, the charming residence of ‘Robert Bar- 
n f clay. Esq. This, as will be seen from 
the accompanying illustration, has a some- 
what slender and perfectly erect trunk, 
rpe' with gracefully drooping branches, which 
,re< are more dense than are those of the speci- 
Ehi fic form and distinctly glaucous. There 
^lil appears to be no record of the introduc- 
altf tion of this variety, but it must have made 
d its appearance within a comparatively short 
time of the distribution of the species. 
The latter, as already intimated, was not 
introduced until 1828, and before the 
•eflti middle of the last century the coniferous 
g i trees which form so important and inter- 
jfti esting a feature of the Bury HiU gardens 
^ and grounds were planted by the grand¬ 
ad father of the present owner, who was 
to5 greatly interested in conifers. This tree, 
^f(f as evident by the height to which it has 
attained, was probably planted about 1840. 
jg i The variety glauca is smaller in growth 
pt. than the type, and the leaves are more 
inJf glaucous than the other forms. Standishi 
^ has silvery leaves, taxifolia has leaves of 
greater length and deeper in colour than 
^^ 0 $ those of the type, and Stairi has pale yel- 
, 0 low foliage. The best of the varietal forms 
for general planting is the one herewith 
illustrated.'^ 
ARBUTUS UNEDO. 
To those who fully appreciate uncom¬ 
mon' beauty and. interest, in the gai'den, a 
striking instance is much in evidence at pre¬ 
sent in the familiar Strawberry Tree (Ar¬ 
butus Unedo). The fruits, which are its 
greatest ornament, hang in pendulous clus¬ 
ters, and. are of a large size, being nearly 
circular^ granular on the exterior, and, in 
the ripe fruits, coloured a vivid red; the 
transition stage from the normal green is 
marked by lemon and orange, and it is these 
shades of colour, in combination with the 
advanced stage, that proclaims this fine 
evergreen as one of the most handsome 
among all arborescent vegetation. Its period 
of greatest beauty is during October, Nov¬ 
ember, and early December, as at this sea¬ 
son, not only are the fruits at maturity, but 
the flowers are also in evidence, a double 
event that is by no means common among 
plants at any time. It is a native o.f the 
West of Ireland and Southern Europe, and 
flourishes in coastal districts. S. 
ABIES DOUGLASI PENDULA. 
A splendidly-developed specimen of this elegant tree in the gardens of Bury Hill, 
Dorking. 
