Sweet Briar.—(Lord Penzance Hybrids.) These are a lovely new race, combining the sweetness of the old Sweet Briar, with a wonderful colour range in the flowers. They are generally used for hedges, but look well trained as pillar roses. A few ought to be in every garden on account of their fragrance. The following are good kinds:—Meg Merrilies, rich crimson; Lady Penzance, soft copper; Brenda, blush; Julie Mannering, delicate pink; Minna, white; Anne of Geierstein, deep crimson; Jeannie Deans, semi-double, vivid crimson; Rose Bradwardine, clear rose.
Clematis.—There are but few positions in which these will not appear charming. Porches, arbours, trellis and pergola all look lovely when wreathed with some of the new hybrids; whilst the Traveller’s Joy (C. Vitalba) forms beautiful garlands among the branches of the larger trees. C. montana, with its myriad white blossoms, is one of the best for the house. C. Jackmanii, with purple flowers, looks well among the grey oaken beams of the pergola, but neither this nor other of the mauve and violet kinds show to advantage near red walls. Among the hybrids are Beauty of Worcester, Duchess of Edinburgh, Mme. Edouard Andre, Jackmanii alba, Miss Bateman, Stella, and Belle of Woking, all beautiful. The Scarlet Clematis (C. coccinea) is very pretty and distinct, but a warm sheltered position is essential to its well-being. The flowers are bell-shaped, the sepals fleshy, and the colour a rich carmine scarlet.
Lonicera.—Honeysuckle. Fragrant climbers for trellis or pergola. They also look well twining among the branches of trees with dark foliage. A sunny, open position suits them best. L. Japonica, with leaves somewhat like the oak, is a pretty form, quite hardy; the variety aureo-reticulata, with leaves overlaid with a network of gold, is also beautiful. A warm wall is needed for L. sempervirens, with handsome tubular flowers in shades of scarlet and yellow. The winter flowering kind, fragrantissima, with white flowers, is sweetly scented. An early bloomer.
Jasminum.—J. officinale, the White Jasmine, is a quick grower, soon covering an arbour, for which position it is perhaps best suited. Nudiflorum should be grown on account of its welcome note of colour, when the garden is otherwise dull and bare.
Wistaria Sinensis.—A beautiful woody climber, delightful for the pergola, in which position its long racemes of mauve flowers are seen to great advantage. The variety alba is also fine. Wistarias might be more often grown among trees, especially if the latter are past their prime, and so will not suffer from the embrace of so large and free growing a climber.
Tecoma.—Trumpet Creeper. Fine scarlet corymbs, but must have the shelter of a south wall in all but southern counties.
Tropæolum Speciosum.—Flame Flower. A gorgeous creeper which often defies all efforts at establishment. The Lakeland cottages are often enveloped in its glowing trails, which also look beautiful wandering over sombre yews or dark leaved shrubs. Partial shade.
Cratægus Pyracantha.—Evergreen foliage and brilliant scarlet berries. Suitable for a wall.
To this list must be added the Ivies in great variety, Ampelopsis tricuspidata (syn. Veitchi), A. quinquefolia, Virginian Creeper and the Vines.
More fragile than the foregoing, yet of distinct value, are the Hops, the gaily-flowered Cobæa scandens, Eccremocarpus, the double pink Calystegia, and the Everlasting Peas. These look well among the smaller shrubs, which would soon be choked out of existence by the more rampant varieties which have been noticed. In really warm districts the beautiful Passiflora will also be pressed into service, but it belongs to the fortunate few to grow these and other tender climbers in the open.