Chapter XLI: Some Hardy Flowering Trees and Shrubs (3)

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| COUNTRY OR | COLOUR |
NAME | ORIGIN AND | AND | GENERAL REMARKS.
| NATURAL ORDER. | SEASON. |
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| | |
Gordonia Lasianthus|Virginia to |White; |A sub-evergreen shrub 6 to
(Loblolly Bay) |Florida; |July |8 feet high, bearing
|Ternstroemiaceae| |beautiful white flowers
| | |like single Camellias. It
| | |needs a sheltered spot and
| | |a moist peaty soil.
| | |
G. pubescens |Georgia and |White |Of rather smaller growth
|Florida | |than the preceding, while
| | |the leaves are pubescent
| | |underneath. The flowers,
| | |too, have the tuft of
| | |yellow stamens more
| | |pronounced than in G.
| | |Lasianthus. Both need the
| | |same treatment.
| | |
Halesias (Silver |Styraceae |...... |This is a beautiful family
Bell, or Snowdrop | | |of flowering trees, named
trees) | | |after Dr. Stephen Hales.
| | |The flowers are like the
| | |snowdrop in shape, hence
| | |the name, and there are two
| | |distinct sections, American
| | |and Asiatic. The Halesias
| | |like a rich, moist, loamy
| | |or peaty soil. Although
| | |often trees of considerable
| | |size in their native homes,
| | |they mostly retain a
| | |somewhat shrubby character
| | |in this country. All the
| | |species, however, except H.
| | |parviflora, can, by pruning
| | |away the lower branches, be
| | |made to form small trees.
| | |
Halesia corymbosa |Japan, in the |White, |Mr. Bean writes in _The
|province of Higo|tinted |Garden_, May 19, 1900, p.
|(Syn. |with pink |361, about this species as
|Pterostyrax |or yellow;|follows: "I do not know if
|corymbosum) |Spring |there is any authenticated
| | |instance of its having
| | |flourished in Britain or
| | |even in Europe, most plants
| | |so called being H. hispida.
| | |It was first found on the
| | |mountains of the most
| | |southern of the main
| | |islands of Japan, in the
| | |province of Higo, and may
| | |possibly not be quite so
| | |hardy as H. hispida.
| | |Judging by pictures and
| | |dried specimens, its
| | |racemes, whilst having much
| | |the same general character
| | |as that species, are
| | |shorter, broader, and more
| | |branched, and the flowers
| | |are not so numerous on the
| | |branches of the racemes,
| | |and the fruits are more
| | |downy than bristly. The
| | |flowers have the same
| | |one-sided arrangement on
| | |the racemes."
| | |
H. diptera |South-eastern |White; |Not a common species, and
|United States |late |dwarfer than H. tetraptera.
| |Spring |The flowers are white,
| | |Snowdrop-like, and are
| | |borne on slender pendulous
| | |stalks as in H. tetraptera;
| | |they differ, however, in
| | |having the corolla almost
| | |lobed to the base. Very
| | |distinctive is the
| | |seed-vessel, which has but
| | |two prominent wings, the
| | |other two being only
| | |rudimentary. Whilst not
| | |perhaps equal in merit to
| | |H. tetraptera this species
| | |appears to have been
| | |undeservedly neglected. Its
| | |dwarf bushy habit will also
| | |render it more suitable for
| | |some positions; it loves
| | |abundant moisture at the
| | |root. It blossoms rather
| | |later than H. tetraptera.
| | |
H. hispida |China and Japan.|White |This belongs to the Asiatic
|Introduced about| |group of Halesias, and is
|1870 | |very distinct from the
| | |American species. It is a
| | |vigorous shrub, a small
| | |tree with large oblong
| | |leaves, and small flowers,
| | |which are very numerous on
| | |the raceme, which is 4
| | |inches to 8 inches long.
| | |One striking peculiarity of
| | |the raceme is that the
| | |flowers are arranged on the
| | |upper side only of its
| | |branches (a somewhat
| | |similar arrangement is seen
| | |in Freesia flowers). The
| | |seed-vessels are covered
| | |with bristly hairs. Mr.
| | |Bean says, "Whilst
| | |perfectly hardy at Kew in
| | |the open, it blossoms more
| | |freely on a wall. The
| | |finest specimens I have
| | |seen of this Halesia are
| | |growing near a
| | |carriage-road leading to
| | |Mr. Gumbleton's house and
| | |garden at Belgrove,
| | |Queenstown." It flowers in
| | |this country in June.
| | |
H. parviflora |South-eastern |White; end|This is invariably a shrub.
|United States. |of May |It is represented in the
|Introduced in | |Kew collection by a large
|1802 | |bush, which flowers as a
| | |rule with great freedom
| | |towards the end of May each
| | |year. The arrangement of
| | |the flowers is more
| | |racemose than fasciculate,
| | |and whilst they are very
| | |abundant they are not so
| | |large as in H. tetraptera
| | |or H. diptera. They are
| | |white and Snowdrop-like.
| | |The seed-vessels are only
| | |slightly and unequally
| | |winged. On the whole,
| | |therefore, the species is
| | |easily distinguished from
| | |its two fellow American
| | |species. The grace and
| | |abundance of its bloom make
| | |it well worthy of
| | |cultivation wherever a
| | |variety of hardy shrubs is
| | |desired.
| | |
*H. tetraptera |South United |White; |A beautiful tree. Whilst
(Common Snowdrop |States. |May |according to Prof. Sargent
tree) |Introduced by a | |it occasionally attains a
|London merchant | |height of 80 to 90 feet in
|named Ellis in | |its native country, it is
|1756 | |seldom more than 20 feet
| | |high in the British Isles.
| | |Its flowers are like pure
| | |white Snowdrops, hence the
| | |popular name. The
| | |seed-vessels are 1-1/2
| | |inches to 2 inches long,
| | |and have four prominent
| | |wings that transverse them
| | |lengthwise.
| | |
H. t. Meehani |This originated |White |A very handsome and
|as a seedling in| |distinct variety, with
|Meehan's | |shorter flower-stalks, and
|Nursery, | |thicker and more coarsely
|Germanstown, | |wrinkled leaves than the
|Philadelphia. | |type.
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| COUNTRY OR | COLOUR |
NAME | ORIGIN AND | AND | GENERAL REMARKS.
| NATURAL ORDER. | SEASON. |
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| | |
Hamamelis (Witch |Hamamelideae |Orange- |A charming tree when in
Hazel) | |yellow; |flower. It blooms early in
*H. arborea |China |Winter |the year, the precise time
| | |depending upon the weather.
| | |When the leafless shoots
| | |are studded with the
| | |golden-yellow,
| | |narrow-petalled flowers,
| | |with their crimson calyces,
| | |it is very pretty. It is
| | |also worth using with some
| | |shrub like Gaultheria
| | |procumbens as a groundwork.
| | |It enjoys an open
| | |situation, and is not very
| | |particular about soil.
| | |
H. japonica |Japan |Pale |An interesting shrub, of
| |yellow; |which *Zuccariniana is a
| |Winter |well-known variety.
| | |
H. mollis |Japan |Bright |This is a rare Witch-Hazel,
| |yellow |with very broad and large
| | |leaves, and wavy brightly
| | |coloured, fragrant flowers.
| | |
H. virginica |Eastern North |Pale |For many years this species
|America |yellow; |was the only Witch-Hazel in
| |Autumn |cultivation. Being spread
| | |over the eastern side of
| | |North America from Canada
| | |to the Southern United
| | |States, it naturally
| | |attracted the notice of the
| | |earlier colonists, and it
| | |was, in fact, introduced to
| | |Britain as long ago as
| | |1736. During the last
| | |twenty or thirty years,
| | |however, new species have
| | |been discovered and brought
| | |home from China and Japan.
| | |They surpass this old
| | |American species in garden
| | |value, and are, indeed,
| | |amongst the most
| | |interesting and attractive
| | |of the shrubs that flower
| | |in the early part of the
| | |year. H. virginica, on the
| | |other hand, is at its best
| | |in autumn. It has the
| | |narrow, twisted, bright
| | |yellow petals which, with
| | |but little variation, are
| | |characteristic of all
| | |Hamamelis flowers. The
| | |flowers cover the younger
| | |branches in close, dense
| | |clusters. It is a sturdy
| | |shrub, almost a small tree,
| | |and has leaves very like
| | |those of the English Hazel
| | |(Corylus).
| | |
*Hibiscus syriacus |China; |White; |An upright growing
(Tree Mallow, Syn. |Malvaceae |blotched |deciduous shrub 6 feet
Althaea frutex) | |red |high, is particularly
| | |valuable from the fact that
| | |it flowers towards the
| | |later part of August, when
| | |so few hardy shrubs are in
| | |bloom. It needs a
| | |well-drained, loamy soil,
| | |that is, however, not
| | |parched up at any time, and
| | |a spot fully exposed to the
| | |sun. There are many
| | |varieties of this, ranging
| | |in colour from white to
| | |purple, both single and
| | |double flowered forms being
| | |represented. Celestes,
| | |blue, and Totus albus,
| | |white, are the best.
| | |
*Hippophae |A British shrub,|Flowers |A beautiful somewhat spiny
rhamnoides (Sea |chiefly in the |inconspic-|tree, or rather shrub, to
Buckthorn) |south and |uous; |plant by the side of a
|south-east |yellowish |lake, pond, stream, moat,
|coasts; | |or anywhere a free
|Eleagnaceae | |spreading shrubby growth is
| | |desired. But it will
| | |succeed as well inland as
| | |by water. A splendid group
| | |may be seen near the pond
| | |at Kew, and for many years
| | |has made a beautiful winter
| | |picture in the gardens.
| | |Every winter the wood made
| | |the previous year is
| | |thickly cased with the
| | |bright orange-coloured
| | |berries, which remain on
| | |the branches all the
| | |winter, but later on, if
| | |hard frosts are
| | |experienced, they lose most
| | |of their brightness. It
| | |must not be forgotten that
| | |the flowers are unisexual,
| | |_i.e._ those of one sex
| | |only are borne on a tree.
| | |Male trees therefore do not
| | |produce berries, and to get
| | |fruit a female and male
| | |must be near. In each
| | |group, say of about
| | |half-a-dozen plants, one
| | |plant should be male and
| | |the rest female. This is of
| | |the utmost importance, and
| | |see to it before the plants
| | |leave the nursery. The Sea
| | |Buckthorn is a large shrub
| | |or small tree. A very
| | |pretty standard tree
| | |results from keeping it to
| | |a single stem and removing
| | |the lower branches. The
| | |leaves are very charming in
| | |colour, a silvery grey. The
| | |male plant is of more
| | |upright growth than the
| | |female.
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| COUNTRY OR | COLOUR |
NAME | ORIGIN AND | AND | GENERAL REMARKS.
| NATURAL ORDER. | SEASON. |
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| | |
*Hydrangea |China and Japan;|Deep pink;|Better known throughout the
Hortensia (the |Saxifrageae |Summer and|greater part of England as
Hydrangea, Syn. H. | |Autumn |a greenhouse plant than as
hortensis) | | |an outdoor shrub, but in
| | |the extreme south and west
| | |it is very handsome in the
| | |open ground. The huge heads
| | |of flowers make a great
| | |display. There are several
| | |varieties, some of them
| | |being often regarded as
| | |distinct species, the most
| | |notable of which are:
| | |Lindleyi, with the large
| | |sterile flowers limited to
| | |a few around the outside of
| | |the cluster. They are pink,
| | |tinged with blue. Mariesii
| | |is a very handsome Japanese
| | |variety, with large sterile
| | |flowers, pinkish mauve.
| | |Nigra or cyanoclada has
| | |purplish black stems, and
| | |is very notable on that
| | |account. Rosea has all the
| | |flowers sterile, and of
| | |rich rose colour. Stellata
| | |has the sterile flowers
| | |double and star-like.
| | |Thomas Hogg has white
| | |blossoms.
| | |
*H. paniculata |Japan |Creamy |A handsome shrub that may
| |white; |be grown as a dwarf bush or
| |Autumn |as a standard.
| | |
H. var. grandiflora| | |This is far more popular
| | |than the type, and is grown
| | |largely for flowering under
| | |glass as well as in the
| | |open ground. In this the
| | |huge pyramidal-shaped heads
| | |are composed entirely of
| | |sterile blossoms. If to be
| | |kept dwarf it must be
| | |pruned back hard when
| | |dormant, and only three
| | |or four shoots allowed to
| | |develop.
| | |
H. petiolaris |Japan |Creamy |A free-growing climber,
(Climbing | |white; |that attaches itself to a
Hydrangea) | |June and |wall by means of aerial
| |July |roots after the manner of
| | |ivy. It has flattened
| | |clusters of flowers.
| | |Being so distinct from all
| | |the rest, it at once
| | |attracts attention.
| | |
H. quercifolia |North America |White |A shrub about a yard high,
| | |with large lobed leaves.
| | |The flowers are less showy
| | |than some of the others. It
| | |needs a moist soil and a
| | |very sheltered spot.
| | |
H. radiata |North America |White |The flowers of this are not
| | |at all showy, but the
| | |leaves are clothed on the
| | |under sides with a dense
| | |white felt-like substance,
| | |which renders it very
| | |noticeable when ruffled by
| | |the wind.
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| COUNTRY OR | COLOUR |
NAME | ORIGIN AND | AND | GENERAL REMARKS.
| NATURAL ORDER. | SEASON. |
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| | |
Hypericum |Europe; |Yellow |A free-growing deciduous
Androsaemum |Hypericineae | |shrub from 2 to 3 feet
(Tutsan, Syn. | | |high, with a mass of small
Androsaemum | | |flowers, but not very
officinale) | | |showy. It will grow in the
| | |shade better than many
| | |other shrubs.
| | |
H. aureum |North America |Yellow; |Reaches a height of about 4
| |July and |feet. The orange-yellow
| |August |flowers, about 1-1/2 inches
| | |across, have a large and
| | |conspicuous mass of yellow
| | |stamens in the centre.
| | |
*H. calycinum (Rose|Levant |Yellow; |Forms a dense mass a foot
of Sharon, St. | |July to |high, while the
John's Wort) | |Autumn |golden-yellow flowers are
| | |quite 3 inches across. The
| | |long hair-like stamens are
| | |very numerous and
| | |attractive. It will
| | |both grow and flower well
| | |in shady spots.
| | |
H. elatum (Tall St.|North America |Yellow |Grows 4 to 5 feet high, and
John's Wort) | | |is very robust. The
| | |flowers, however, though
| | |freely borne, are only
| | |about an inch in diameter.
| | |
H. hircinum |Europe |Yellow; |When roughly handled the
| |Autumn |leaves of this species have
| | |an unpleasant goat-like
| | |odour, but it is decidedly
| | |ornamental, forming as it
| | |does a bush a yard high,
| | |while the flowers are
| | |bright yellow.
| | |
*H. hookerianum |Himalayas |Yellow; |Rather more tender than
(Syn. H. | |Autumn |some of the Hypericums, but
oblongifolium) | | |a showy kind. It grows over
| | |4 feet high, and has
| | |clusters of large golden
| | |flowers.
| | |
*H. moserianum |Garden hybrid |Yellow; |A hybrid between H.
| |early |calycinum and H. patulum,
| |Autumn |and one of the most
| | |desirable of all the St.
| | |John's Worts. The slender
| | |branches are graceful, and
| | |terminated by clusters of
| | |rich golden-yellow flowers
| | |a couple of inches across.
| | |
H. patulum |Japan |Yellow |A delightful little shrub,
| | |but even in the south of
| | |England it is liable to be
| | |killed by a severe winter.
| | |
H. prolificum |North America |Yellow |Grows 3 feet high, and
| | |bears its clusters of
| | |blossoms very freely. The
| | |individual flowers are
| | |about an inch across.
| | |
H. uralum (Syn. H. |Himalayas |Yellow |Somewhat in the way of H.
nepalense) | | |patulum, and like that
| | |species rather tender.
| | |
Itea virginica |Virginia; |White; |A freely branched rounded
|Saxifrageae |July |shrub, from 3 to 4 feet in
| | |height, and has small
| | |spikes arranged in much the
| | |same way as the shrubby
| | |Veronicas. It is a
| | |favourite of the Red
| | |Admiral butterfly (Vanessa
| | |Atalanta). It is quite
| | |hardy, but needs a moist
| | |peaty soil.
| | |
Jamesia americana |Rocky Mountains;|White; |A somewhat upright shrub, 4
|Saxifrageae |April and |to 5 feet high, with
| |May |oval-shaped leaves and a
| | |great profusion of terminal
| | |clusters of pure white
| | |blossoms. It is quite hardy
| | |and needs a cool moist
| | |soil.
| | |
Kalmia angustifolia|North America; |Bright |A delightful little
(Sheep Laurel) |Ericaceae |purplish |evergreen shrub about a
| |red; |couple of feet high,
| |end of May|with bright-coloured,
| | |saucer-shaped blossoms. All
| | |the Kalmias prefer cool
| | |damp soil, especially of a
| | |peaty nature--indeed,
| | |conditions favourable to
| | |Rhododendrons suit them
| | |well.
| | |
K. glauca |North America |Purplish |Flowers two or three weeks
| |pink |earlier than the preceding,
| | |and is somewhat dwarfer,
| | |but is equally desirable.
| | |
*K. latifolia |North America |Pink; |This forms a large rounded
(Mountain Laurel) | |May |bush from 6 to 8 feet high,
| |through |clothed with handsome,
| |Summer |bright-green foliage, while
| | |the flowers are pink and
| | |wax-like. It is a desirable
| | |subject to associate with
| | |Rhododendrons, which,
| | |except in flowers, it much
| | |resembles.
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| COUNTRY OR | COLOUR |
NAME | ORIGIN AND | AND | GENERAL REMARKS.
| NATURAL ORDER. | SEASON. |
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| | |
Koelreuteria |China; |Yellow; |A small picturesque tree 10
paniculata |Sapindaceae |June and |to 15 feet in height, with
| |July |ornamental pinnate leaves,
| | |and large terminal panicles
| | |of bright yellow flowers,
| | |very distinct.
| | |
Laburnum (Cytisus) |Loudon writes: |...... |There is no need to praise
vulgare (Golden |"A native of | |the laburnum; it is one of
Rain or Chain) |Europe and the | |the most beautiful of all
|lower mountains | |trees, and its countless
|of the South of | |flowers make a shower of
|Germany, and of | |gold in early summer. It
|Switzerland, | |seems strange to read that
|where it grows | |the laburnum is not a
|to the height of| |native, for it is so
|20 feet or | |general in gardens, and is
|upwards. It was | |even used in hedgerows in
|introduced in | |some parts of the country.
|1596"; | |We have in mind a hedgerow
|Leguminosae | |in Berkshire with laburnums
| | |rising above the thorn, and
| | | a pleasant sight this is
| | |in late May and early June.
| | |Laburnums grow so freely
| | |almost everywhere that they
| | |are somewhat overdone in
| | |gardens, but it is so
| | |beautiful a tree that many
| | |would say: "I don't mind
| | |how many laburnums I have
| | |in the garden." Mr.
| | |Goldring, writing in the
| | |"Gardeners' Magazine" about
| | |laburnums, says:--
| | |
| | |"Besides the common way of
| | |growing the laburnum as a
| | |shrubbery or plantation
| | |tree, it may be put to
| | |various other uses. It is a
| | |beautiful covering for a
| | |wall on the north, east, or
| | |west sides. In some old
| | |gardens one meets with huge
| | |trees of it covering large
| | |areas of wall, and
| | |affording a lovely sight at
| | |flower time. This is a
| | |common way of growing it on
| | |the Continent, and in some
| | |of our old botanic gardens
| | |it may be seen trained
| | |against a wall as a host
| | |for the wistaria, which
| | |flowers about the same
| | |time, and produces a lovely
| | |contrast of colour.
| | |
| | |"I have pleasing
| | |recollections of seeing it
| | |in some old gardens trained
| | |over a path as a covered
| | |way before pergolas were in
| | |vogue in this country. For
| | |several weeks such covered
| | |pathways are glowing with
| | |colour, and for the rest of
| | |the summer they afford a
| | |pleasant shade. In some of
| | |the old Sussex gardens
| | |laburnum 'tunnels' are
| | |still to be seen, and they
| | |are worth imitating in new
| | |gardens.
| | |
| | |"Of the two commonly grown
| | |species of laburnum, L.
| | |vulgare and L. alpinum,
| | |there are numerous
| | |varieties, differing more
| | |or less from the types,
| | |though the differences in
| | |some cases are slight, even
| | |from a garden point of
| | |view. A laburnum is a
| | |laburnum to most people,
| | |and nothing more, but there
| | |is a great difference
| | |between a worthless
| | |seedling with short flower
| | |clusters of a poor yellow,
| | |and the varieties such as
| | |Watereri and Parksii which
| | |bear racemes fully 16
| | |inches in length, and of a
| | |rich-toned yellow. There
| | |is, unhappily, in gardens,
| | |a preponderance of inferior
| | |seedling trees, because
| | |they can be raised easily
| | |and sold cheaply, but it is
| | |better to have one grafted
| | |tree of a first-rate
| | |variety than a dozen
| | |inferior kinds.
| | |
| | |"The number of named
| | |varieties of L. vulgare
| | |enumerated in Continental
| | |and English nursery lists
| | |exceed a score, and most of
| | |them are mere monstrosities
| | |of leaf-form or colour,
| | |only appreciated by the
| | |collector of curiosities.
| | |The finest varieties are
| | |those named Alchingerii,
| | |giganteum, Carlieri, and
| | |grandiflorum. Any of these,
| | |if true to name, are the
| | |kinds to plant. They all
| | |bear very long racemes,
| | |produced abundantly."
| | |
*L. alpinum |Called the |Yellow |This is a well-known tree.
(Cytisus alpinus), |Scotch laburnum | |Some of its varieties are
Scotch laburnum |because a | |very beautiful.
|supposed native | |
|of Scotland, but| |
|this is not | |
|true. Loudon | |
|says: "It was | |
|introduced into | |
|Britain about | |
|the same time as| |
|the other | |
|species, 1596." | |
|The other | |
|species is | |
|Laburnum vulgare| |
| | |
L. Watereri |Hybrid |Yellow |We have given this special
| | |prominence for the reason
| | |it is a hybrid. In Bailey's
| | |"American Cyclopaedia"
| | |occurs this note:
| | |"Watereri, Dipp. (L.
| | |Parksii, Hort, C. alpinus
| | |and vulgaris Wittst.)
| | |Hybrid of garden origin,
| | |but found also wild.... As
| | |hardy as L. alpinum and
| | |sometimes considered to be
| | |a variety of that species."
| | |
L. Adami (Purple |Graft-hybrid |Purple, |This is a remarkable tree,
laburnum) | |yellow, |and is named after M. Adam,
| |and buff |who grafted Cytisus
| | |purpureus on the common
| | |laburnum. Loudon says the
| | |purple laburnum "is a
| | |hybrid between Cytisus
| | |laburnum and C. purpureus,
| | |in which the flowers are of
| | |a reddish purple, slightly
| | |tinged with buff, and are
| | |produced in pendent spikes
| | |eight inches or more long.
| | |It was originated in Paris,
| | |in the nursery of M. Adam
| | |in 1828; it was introduced
| | |into England about 1829,
| | |and has been a good deal
| | |cultivated." We noticed a
| | |tree of it in a hedgerow
| | |near Burnham Common,
| | |Slough. It is a strange
| | |tree. Some branches will
| | |perhaps bear entirely
| | |yellow flowers, like those
| | |of the common laburnum and
| | |others varied like Cytisus
| | |purpureus, by a flower that
| | |shows the characters of
| | |both parents. It is more
| | |curious than beautiful.
| | |
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| COUNTRY OR | COLOUR |
NAME | ORIGIN AND | AND | GENERAL REMARKS.
| NATURAL ORDER. | SEASON. |
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| | |
*Ledum latifolium |Northern portion|White; |A much-branched shrub 2 to
(Labrador Tea) |of North |late April|3 feet high, and when in
|America; | |bloom covered with its
|Ericaceae | |rounded clusters of white
| | |blossoms. It needs a cool
| | |moist peaty soil, and given
| | |this it is very attractive
| | |when in bloom.
| | |
L. palustre (Marsh |Northern part of|White, |Much like the last, except
Ledum) |Eastern |tinged |that it is rather smaller,
|Hemisphere |pink |and the blossoms tinged
| | |with pink.
| | |
Leiophyllum |New Jersey and |White; |A compact little evergreen
buxifolium (Sand |Virginia; |May |shrub about a foot high.
Myrtle), (Syn. L. |Ericaceae | |Every twig, however small,
thymifolium) | | |bears a cluster of pretty
| | |blossoms, in colour white
| | |tinged with pink. It is a
| | |good rockwork shrub in a
| | |cool moist position.
| | |
Lespedeza bicolor |Japan; |Rosy red; |Sends up stiff annual
|Leguminosae |July |shoots to a height of 4
| | |feet. The leaves are
| | |trifoliate. It needs a
| | |warm soil, and is not
| | |particularly attractive.
| | |
*L. Sieboldi (Syn. |China and Japan |Reddish |A deciduous sub-shrub that
Desmodium | |purple; |dies nearly to the ground
penduliflorum) | |September |in the winter. From the
| | |base are pushed up long
| | |wand-like arching shoots to
| | |a height of 6 feet, clothed
| | |with trifoliate leaves, and
| | |bearing large terminal
| | |panicles of pea-shaped
| | |blossoms. Should it escape
| | |the autumn frosts it is
| | |delightful.
| | |
Leycesteria formosa|Temperate |Purplish |A very interesting shrub, 6
|Himalaya; |white, and|feet high in the milder
|Caprifoliaceae |purple |parts of these isles, but
| |bracts |hardy almost everywhere.
| | |These flowers are succeeded
| | |by purple berries which are
| | |relished by pheasants,
| | |hence it is planted for
| | |covert in some places.
| | |
Ligustrum coriaceum|China; |White |A sturdy evergreen shrub,
(Thick-leaved |Oleaceae | |with very dark-green
Privet) | | |leaves, thick, about 1-1/2
| | |inches long and roundish
| | |oval in shape. It reaches a
| | |height of about a yard, and
| | |is of extremely slow
| | |growth.
| | |
L. Ibota (Syn. L. |Japan |White; |A graceful shrub with long,
amurense) | |June and |slender, arching branches,
| |July |narrow leaves, and white
| | |flowers.
| | |
L. japonicum |Japan |White; |Reaches a height of 6 to 8
(Japanese Privet) | |early July|feet, and forms a freely
| | |branched bush clothed with
| | |bright shining green leaves
| | |from 2 to 3 inches, oval
| | |pointed in shape.
| | |
*L. lucidum (Wax |China |White; |This is the most ornamental
Tree) | |July and |of all the Privets in
| |August |foliage, the leathery
| | |dark-green leaves being
| | |sometimes as much as 6
| | |inches long, and over two
| | |inches wide. It reaches a
| | |height of 9 to 12 feet, and
| | |has large panicles of white
| | |flowers. There is a
| | |variety--tricolor, with
| | |leaves beautifully
| | |variegated, but being
| | |tender it needs wall
| | |protection.
| | |
L. massalongianum |Khasia Hills |White |The long narrow leaves of
(Syn. L. | | |this species make it
rosmarinifolium) | | |distinct from all other
| | |Privets. It is hardy only
| | |in the west of England and
| | |Ireland.
| | |
*L. ovalifolium |Japan |White |This sub-evergreen species
(Oval-leaved | | |is one of the hardiest of
Privet) | | |all Privets, being much
| | |used for hedges, and for
| | |planting where little else
| | |will thrive. Its small
| | |dense clusters of flowers
| | |are borne in great
| | |profusion, but they (in
| | |common with most Privets)
| | |possess such a heavy and
| | |unpleasant odour as to
| | |unfit them for planting
| | |near dwelling-houses. The
| | |golden form of this Privet,
| | |known as Aureum or
| | |Elegantissimum, is met with
| | |nearly everywhere,
| | |particularly in the
| | |environs of London.
| | |
*L. Quihoui |China |White; |A somewhat spreading shrub
| |late |about 5 feet high, with
| |September |small leaves and terminal
| | |panicles of flowers. For
| | |this reason it is worth
| | |growing as a flowering
| | |shrub.
| | |
*L. sinense |China |White |The finest of all Privets
(Chinese Privet) | | |as regards its flowers. It
| | |forms a sub-evergreen shrub
| | |from 12 to 15 feet high,
| | |with arching branches, and
| | |frond-like arrangements of
| | |the smaller branchlets,
| | |which are clothed with
| | |leaves about the size of
| | |those of the Common Privet,
| | |and pale green in colour.
| | |The white flowers are borne
| | |in such profusion towards
| | |the end of July that the
| | |entire plant is quite a
| | |mass of that colour. It
| | |needs a well-drained soil.
| | |
L. vulgare (Common |Europe |White |As a hedge plant this is to
Privet) | | |a great extent superseded
| | |by L. ovalifolium, but it
| | |is still a useful shrub for
| | |rough places. It is one of
| | |the subjects that can be
| | |clipped into all manner of
| | |shapes, hence it is very
| | |popular for topiary work.
| | |
*Liriodendron |United States; |Yellow; |The Tulip tree is one of
tulipifera (Tulip |Magnoliaceae |June |the most beautiful and
tree) | | |distinct of all our hardy
| | |trees, for the peculiarly
| | |shaped four-lobed leaves
| | |cannot be confounded with
| | |those of any other. It
| | |occurs over a considerable
| | |extent of country in North
| | |America, and when suitably
| | |situated attains a height
| | |of 130 to 140 feet. Though
| | |these dimensions are not
| | |reached in this country,
| | |specimens nearly 100 feet
| | |high are known, and its
| | |great value as a timber
| | |tree has been demonstrated
| | |here as well as in the
| | |United States, where it is
| | |given the name of the White
| | |Wood. The yellow Tulip-like
| | |flowers, from whence its
| | |popular name in this
| | |country is derived, are
| | |very pretty, but as a rule
| | |borne at such a height that
| | |their beauty cannot be
| | |seen. They, however, add to
| | |the interest and charm of
| | |the tree, and with the
| | |handsome leafage and the
| | |rich yellow hue of the
| | |foliage in the Autumn, as
| | |well as its thorough
| | |hardiness and almost
| | |complete indifference to
| | |soil and situation, make it
| | |one of the most desirable
| | |of our large growing trees.
| | |There are several
| | |varieties, notable among
| | |them being integrifolia, in
| | |which the distinctive lobes
| | |of the leaves are
| | |suppressed; aurea maculata,
| | |whose leaves are blotched
| | |with yellow; and
| | |fastigiata, which is of
| | |upright growth. These are
| | |all interesting, but not
| | |equal in beauty to the
| | |type.
| | |
Loropetalum |China; |Pure |A very interesting shrub,
chinense |Hamamelideae |white; |with long petals,
| |Winter |resembling one of the
| | |flowers of Hamamelis; they
| | |appear 6 to 8 together in
| | |clusters at the bract tips.
| | |Tender.
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------

-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| COUNTRY OR | COLOUR |
NAME | ORIGIN AND | AND | GENERAL REMARKS.
| NATURAL ORDER. | SEASON. |
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| | |
Magnolia acuminata |North America; |Greenish |From a flowering point of
(Cucumber tree) |Magnoliaceae |yellow |view this is one of the
| | |least showy of the
| | |Magnolias, but the tree has
| | |handsome foliage; it
| | |reaches a height of many
| | |feet. The leaves are nearly
| | |a foot long, and half as
| | |much in width. There is a
| | |tree 60 feet high in Syon
| | |Park, Middlesex.
| | |
*M. conspicua (the |China |Pure |Of all the Magnolias, and
Yulan) | |white; |indeed of all our deciduous
| |early |trees, this is one of the
| |Spring |finest, and also one of the
| | |earliest flowering. It
| | |blooms in some seasons as
| | |early as March, and the
| | |pure white flowers, like
| | |silver chalices, stand out
| | |boldly from the bare
| | |dark-coloured branches.
| | |Owing to the flowers
| | |expanding so early, they
| | |are sometimes injured by
| | |spring frosts, hence in the
| | |northern parts of the
| | |country this species is
| | |often given wall
| | |protection. This Magnolia
| | |succeeds best in a good,
| | |well-drained, loamy soil of
| | |not too heavy a nature,
| | |indeed, such will suit all
| | |the Magnolias perfectly.
| | |
M. Fraseri |North America |Creamy |A distinguishing feature of
(Fraser's | |white; |this Magnolia is the shape
Magnolia), (Syn. | |May |of the large leaves, which
auriculata) | | |are broader towards the
| | |upper portion than at the
| | |base. It reaches a height
| | |of 30 feet or more, but
| | |needs a spot sheltered from
| | |strong winds. The
| | |sweet-scented flowers are
| | |nearly 6 inches across.
| | |
M. glauca (the |North America |White |A shrub from 10 to 12 feet
Swamp Magnolia) | | |high, with flowers not
| | |borne all at once, as in
| | |most of the others, but
| | |scattered over two or three
| | |months, from June onwards.
| | |It makes a pretty lawn
| | |shrub for a damp spot.
| | |
*M. grandiflora |Southern United |White; |The evergreen Magnolia is
(the Evergreen |States |late |more generally grown as a
Magnolia) | |Summer |wall plant than in the open
| | |ground, though in the south
| | |and west of England it will
| | |thrive perfectly without
| | |protection. As a wall
| | |covering the handsome
| | |dark-green leaves render it
| | |effective at all seasons,
| | |and they also serve as an
| | |admirable setting for the
| | |large cup-shaped
| | |deliciously-scented
| | |flowers.
| | |
M. hypoleuca |Japan |Creamy |In Japan this is a tree 60
| |white |feet high, and is said to
| | |be a very desirable kind,
| | |but it has not been long
| | |introduced, and the plants
| | |of it in this country are
| | |small.
| | |
*M. Lennei |Garden origin |Glowing |The flowers of this are
| |purple |large, massive in texture,
| |outside, |and delightfully coloured.
| |pinkish |They are a month or two
| |within; |later than those of the
| |late |Yulan, hence they escape
| |Spring |the frosts which sometimes
| | |injure it.
| | |
M. obovata (Syn. M.|Japan |Purple |A spreading shrub 6 to 8
purpurea) | |outside, |feet high, with flowers
| |whitish |much smaller than those of
| |within; |M. Lennei, and not of so
| |late |pleasing a colour. It is,
| |Spring |however, a handsome shrub,
| | |less particular in its
| | |requirements than most
| | |Magnolias.
| | |
M. parviflora |Japan |White; |A neat bush. The centre of
| |May and |the flower is occupied by a
| |June |ring of bright-red
| | |filaments. It is rather
| | |tender.
| | |
*M. soulangeana |Garden origin |White, |A small tree more spreading
| |tinged |in character than M.
| |purple |conspicua, and flowering
| |outside; |also a little later. Very
| |Spring |pretty, early flowering.
| | |
*M. stellata (Syn. |Japan |Pure |The earliest of all the
M. halleana) | |white; |Magnolias. It is a much
| |March |branched shrub, seldom more
| | |than 4 feet high, and as
| | |much through. The flowers,
| | |which are borne in great
| | |profusion, are about 3
| | |inches in diameter, and
| | |composed of a dozen or so
| | |of strap-shaped petals; a
| | |lovely shrub. There is a
| | |variety of this with pink
| | |flowers.
| | |
M. tripetala |North America |Creamy |A tree remarkable for its
(Umbrella tree), | |white; |large handsome leaves,
(Syn. M. Umbrella) | |early |which are arranged in a
| |Summer |regular manner towards the
| | |upper parts of the
| | |branches. The flowers are
| | |creamy white. A sheltered
| | |spot suits this best.
| | |
M. Watsoni |Japan |Ivory |A bush about 5 feet high.
| |white |The flowers are remarkable
| |inside, |for their central cluster
| |flushed |of crimson filaments. It
| |with rose |needs a sheltered spot.
| |on the |
| |exterior; |
| |May and |
| |June |
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------

-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| COUNTRY OR | COLOUR |
NAME | ORIGIN AND | AND | GENERAL REMARKS.
| NATURAL ORDER. | SEASON. |
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| | |
Notospartium |New Zealand; |Rose; June|This grows in New Zealand
Carmichaeliae |Leguminosae | |several feet high, but not
| | |here. It has graceful
| | |shoots, which are very
| | |pretty when smothered with
| | |the pink pea-shaped
| | |flowers. A correspondent to
| | |the _Garden_, writing in
| | |July 1900 from Castle
| | |Douglas, N.B., says: "I am
| | |sure if my plant of
| | |Notospartium Carmichaeliae
| | |were to be seen by any one
| | |who has not got it, there
| | |would be countless
| | |inquiries for it. It has
| | |always done well and
| | |flowered freely, but this
| | |year it is simply
| | |magnificent, with only the
| | |points of the twigs visible
| | |above the mass of bright
| | |pink blossoms."
| | |
Nuttallia |California; |White; |This is one of the
cerasiformis |Rosaceae |early |prettiest and most
| |Spring |interesting of March
| | |shrubs. It is of good
| | |habit, and produces a large
| | |quantity of dull white
| | |flowers in drooping
| | |racemes. The fruits, too,
| | |are pretty, not unlike
| | |those of a small plum, of
| | |reddish-yellow colour, with
| | |a plum-like bloom. It must
| | |be noted that the flowers
| | |are liable to be dioecious,
| | |and so, therefore the sexes
| | |must be planted together,
| | |though we have obtained
| | |fruit by sticking branches
| | |of the male flowers among
| | |those of the female shrub.
| | |
*Olearia Haastii |New Zealand; |White; |A valuable evergreen
(Daisy Bush) |Compositae |July and |Box-like shrub, laden with
| |August |small white Daisy-like
| | |blossoms with a yellow
| | |disc. Though a native of
| | |New Zealand, it is hardy in
| | |most parts of England.
| | |
O. macrodonta (New |New Zealand |White; |This has large Holly-like
Zealand Daisy | |July |leaves, silvery on the
tree), (Syn. O. | | |undersides, and heads of
dentata) | | |Daisy-like blossoms. Far
| | |more tender than O.
| | |Haastii, this needs a wall
| | |in most parts of the south
| | |of England, though it is
| | |hardy in the extreme west
| | |and in the south of
| | |Ireland.
| | |
O. stellulata (Syn.|New Zealand |White, |An evergreen bush, with
O. gunniana, | |yellow |small narrow leaves, the
Eurybia gunniana) | |disc; May |undersides covered with
| |and June |whitish felt. The
| | |Daisy-like flowers appear
| | |in profusion. Its
| | |requirements are the same
| | |as the last.
| | |
O. Traversii (Syn. |New Zealand |White; |In its native country this
Eurybia Traversii) | |June |is a timber tree, but here
| | |it needs the same treatment
| | |as the last two. The
| | |flowers are small and
| | |creamy white.
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------

-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| COUNTRY OR | COLOUR |
NAME | ORIGIN AND | AND | GENERAL REMARKS.
| NATURAL ORDER. | SEASON. |
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| | |
Oxydendron arboreum|Eastern |Pure |This is a charming shrub,
|United States; |white; |but in its native country
|Ericaceae |June and |grows to a height of 40
| |July |feet. The leaves are dark
| | |green, but very richly
| | |coloured in autumn. The
| | |bell-shaped white flowers
| | |remind one of those of the
| | |Lily of the Valley, and
| | |appear in pretty racemes.
| | |
Ozothamnus |South Australia |White; |A neat shrub, 4 to 5 feet
rosmarinifolius |and Tasmania; |July |high, with narrow
|Compositae | |rosemary-like leaves, and
| | |during the summer a
| | |profusion of white
| | |Aster-like blossoms. It is
| | |hardy only in the West of
| | |England.
| | |
*Pernettya |Cape Horn, |Berries |Many garden varieties.
mucronata |introduced in |the chief |Between 1878 and 1882 the
|1828; Ericaceae |beauty |floral committee of the
| | |Royal Horticultural Society
| | |awarded no less than seven
| | |first-class certificates,
| | |selecting the following
| | |varieties for the purpose:
| | |P. alba, carnea nana,
| | |lilacina macrocarpa, nigra
| | |major, rosea purpurea.
| | |and sanguinea. There are
| | |ten or a dozen quite
| | |distinct shades of
| | |colouring, from white
| | |through tenderest pink,
| | |white and rosy pink, the
| | |colours then reaching to a
| | |soft scarlet, and ending
| | |with a dark blood-red,
| | |reminding one of the seeds
| | |of the Pomegranate, and
| | |also the differences in the
| | |size of the berries and
| | |foliage, particulars which
| | |impart additional interest
| | |to this useful group of
| | |plants. Some fifty or so
| | |years ago Mr. Davis of
| | |Hillsborough began his
| | |experiments with such forms
| | |of the Pernettya as were
| | |then in cultivation, and he
| | |selected as his first
| | |seed-parent P.
| | |angustifolia, a native of
| | |China, a densely branched,
| | |narrow-leaved evergreen
| | |shrub, growing to a height
| | |of about 3 feet. The fruit
| | |of this species is light
| | |pink in colour. It is a
| | |very effective subject,
| | |thriving well under the
| | |shade of trees, but in such
| | |a position does not, as
| | |might be expected, flower
| | |so freely as when grown in
| | |the open. P. mucronata, the
| | |type, bears reddish-tinted
| | |fruits. Regarding P.
| | |angustifolia as the
| | |hardiest of the two,
| | |Mr. Davis made this the
| | |first seed-bearing
| | |parent, and found the
| | |seedlings from it to vary
| | |considerably in the
| | |character of the foliage
| | |and colour of the fruit.
| | |This encouraged him to
| | |take seed from the best
| | |of his seedlings, and
| | |from it obtained the
| | |fine varieties which are
| | |now in our gardens. It
| | |is difficult to
| | |over-estimate their
| | |value as berry-bearing
| | |plants in autumn in
| | |peaty soil.
| | |
Philadelphus |Europe and |White; |A well-known shrub, from
coronarius |Asia; |early May |6 to 10 feet high, with
(Mock Orange |Saxifrageae | |a profusion of white,
or Syringa) | | |strongly scented
| | |flowers. There are
| | |several varieties, the
| | |best being aurea, with
| | |golden leaves, and
| | |Keteleerii, with
| | |double blossoms.
| | |
P. gordonianus |North America |White; |A free-growing bush with
| |early |flowers twice the size
| |July |of the preceding, and
| | |about six weeks later in
| | |expanding.
| | |
*P. grandiflorus |Southern United |White; |Forms a bush about 12
(Large-flowered |States |Midsummer |high, with large leaves
Mock Orange, | | |and blossoms. It lacks
Syn. P. inodorus) | | |the fragrance of the
| | |other species, which is
| | |to many people a point
| | |in its favour.
| | |
P. hirsutus |North America |White |Grows about 5 feet high,
(Hairy-leaved Mock | | |and bears its
Orange) | | |comparatively small
| | |flowers in great
| | |profusion.
| | |
*P. Lemoinei |Garden Hybrid |White; |A hybrid between P.
(Lemoine's Hybrid | |June and |coronarius and the
Mock Orange) | |July |little New Mexican P.
| | |microphyllus. It (P.
| | |Lemoinei) forms a
| | |slender, freely-branched
| | |shrub about 5 feet high,
| | |and has a profusion of
| | |small pure-white flowers
| | |that are most agreeably
| | |scented, the fragrance
| | |reminding one of ripe
| | |apples. The variety
| | |erectus is a rather
| | |stronger grower, and
| | |even a finer plant.
| | |Other delightful hybrid
| | |forms are, Boule
| | |d'Argent, a neat bush
| | |with double flowers;
| | |Candelabre, with larger
| | |blossoms than the other
| | |forms of Lemoinei; Gerbe
| | |de neige, dwarf form
| | |with large single
| | |flowers; and Manteau
| | |d'Hermine, semi-double.
| | |These are among the most
| | |charming of all hardy
| | |shrubs.
| | |
*P. Lewisii |Western North |White; |One of the best, with long
|America |Mid-June |graceful arching shoots,
| | |and large trusses of pure
| | |white blossoms.
| | |
*P. microphyllus |New Mexico |White |A dense rounded bush, 3
(Small-leaved | | |feet high and as much
Mock Orange) | | |across, clothed with tiny
| | |leaves, and very fragrant
| | |flowers one inch across.
| | |
P. Satsumi |Japan |White |Rather tenderer than the
(Japanese Mock | | |American kinds this forms a
Orange) | | |distinct spreading bush
| | |thinner than most of the
| | |others. The flowers are
| | |pure white and fragrant,
| | |and differ from the others
| | |in that the petals are
| | |less rounded and full, thus
| | |forming a more starry
| | |bloom.
| | |
*Pieris floribunda |North America; |White; |A rounded evergreen shrub,
(Syn. Andromeda |Ericaceae |April to |from 3 to 5 feet high,
floribunda) | |May |clothed with very dark
| | |green leaves, and with
| | |spikes of pure white
| | |Lily-of-the-Valley-like
| | |blossoms. It needs a fairly
| | |sheltered position and a
| | |cool moist soil, such as
| | |Rhododendrons delight in.
| | |
*P. formosa |Himalayas |White; |A large bold-growing shrub,
| |May and |with handsome dark-green
| |June |leathery foliage. It has
| | |spikes of wax-like
| | |urn-shaped blossoms. It is
| | |too tender for general
| | |cultivation, except in the
| | |West of England and in
| | |Ireland.
| | |
*P. japonica (Syn. |Japan |White |This differs from the last
Andromeda japonica)| | |in the white wax-like
| | |flowers being borne on
| | |long pendulous racemes, so
| | |that at their best the
| | |entire plant is quite
| | |veiled with them. The tips
| | |of the growing shoots too
| | |are bright red. This blooms
| | |naturally earlier than P.
| | |floribunda, and on that
| | |account the flowers are
| | |often injured by spring
| | |frosts, to prevent which,
| | |as far as possible, it
| | |should be planted in a
| | |sheltered spot, where the
| | |early morning sun does not
| | |shine direct on it.
| | |
P. mariana (Syn. |North America |White; |A deciduous shrub a yard
Andromeda mariana) | |Summer |high, with wax-like
| | |flowers. A damp peaty soil
| | |suits it best.
| | |
P. ovalifolia |Nepaul |White; |Grows to a height of 10 to
| |May |12 feet, and has spikes of
| | |white flowers. This species
| | |succeeds better in the West
| | |of England and in Ireland
| | |than elsewhere.
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