Trees and Shrubs for English Gardens

by E. T. Cook

Berberis.—Few Berberises are of much account for greenhouse decoration, the best being the orange-flowered B. Darwinii and the rich yellow B. stenophylla. They will not flower well if forced hard, but in a cool house, with very little heat, they are very charming. A successful grower of shrubs under glass writes: "I knew of some bushes of B. stenophylla that had been treated in this way for five years, and little trouble was taken with them, yet they were so beautiful as to be much admired every year. After flowering, the weakly growths were cut out and the pots plunged in the open ground. Manure water was occasionally given, and with this treatment they did well."

Carpenteria californica.—This evergreen shrub, even in the south of England, is all the better for slight protection, and it is delightful in the almost cold house, the white flowers, reminding one of those of the Japanese anemone, appearing about May. It is a very beautiful shrub.

Caryopteris Mastacanthus.—This Chinese shrub will bloom freely in light and warm soils, bearing lavender blue flowers in profusion during the autumn; indeed, so late that when cold and wet weather occurs they often fail to expand at all. This difficulty is overcome when the plants are grown in pots and taken into the greenhouse for the flowers to open; it is then very pretty and much liked. After flowering, the shoots generally die back almost to the ground, but break up with renewed vigour in spring.

Ceanothus.—Some of the early-flowering Ceanothuses are very valuable; they may be grown in pots, and their flowers are of pleasing blue colouring, which is unusual and therefore welcome. Among the best for this purpose are C. dentatus, C. papillosus, and C. veitchianus. Ceanothuses do not transplant very well, and if intended for flowering in pots should be lifted in the autumn, potted carefully, and wintered in a cool house. They may be kept altogether in pots, giving them much the same attention during summer as Berberis stenophylla.

Cercis Siliquastrum.—This is the Judas tree, and as many know, while the leaves are still absent the stems bear clusters of rosy-purple flowers. It may be lifted and potted in the autumn or kept altogether in pots, but on no account indulge in hard forcing, as it resents this treatment. Well-grown specimens are very pretty when in flower in late March.

Chionanthus.—There are two species of Chionanthus, viz. the North American Fringe tree (C. virginica) and its Japanese representative C. retusus. They resemble each other very much, but the American form is the better of the two. The Fringe trees are very charming when in pots. Prune back hard after flowering and fully expose to the sun to ensure plenty of flower buds. A moist soil is essential.

Mexican Orange Flower (Choisya ternata). This will bear its white fragrant flower clusters in March in a greenhouse, and a succession is maintained for some time. It is most satisfactory when grown altogether in pots and plunged outside during the summer.

Clematises.—Of late years the various forms of Clematis have been grown largely under glass and used for various purposes, not only in the shape of large specimens, but in pots five inches in diameter, the plant being secured to a single stake and carrying several big showy flowers. Two somewhat new continental varieties, Marcel Moser and Nelly Moser, have proved very useful for this treatment. The plants flowered in small pots are those that are propagated in the preceding spring and plunged out of doors during the summer. The Himalayan C. montana that flowers naturally so early in the season readily responds to a little heat, and in the greenhouse in spring it is almost as welcome as the New Zealand C. indivisa.

Clethra.—Although C. alnifolia does not flower until the autumn it may be had in bloom in spring. Of course, it will not be so early as shrubs that are naturally in beauty in the spring, but in May its white, fragrant flowers should be seen. It requires a cool, moist soil and sunshine, while prune moderately immediately after flowering. Lifted in the autumn soon after the leaves drop, it will succeed well.

Corylopsis spicata.—This reminds one of a small Hazel bush, and in early spring before the leaves appear, the drooping clusters of fragrant yellow flowers appear in profusion; simple protection is all that is needed to get flowers quite early in the year, when it is very pretty in the greenhouse. It thrives well kept permanently in pots, or it may be lifted and potted in the autumn. No pruning is necessary.