Trees and Shrubs for English Gardens

by E. T. Cook

Rosa rugosa.—This charming Rose, when planted in the wilderness, wild garden, or around the lake, in large beds or masses, is always seen to advantage; it has fragrant flowers in summer, and large, highly-coloured fruit in autumn. Place it in the forefront of flowering plants. Plant in deep, well-enriched soil, at a distance of 4 feet apart, and prune, like other Roses, annually. The white variety is equally well adapted, and may be mixed with the above.

Rosa Bengale Hermosa, belonging to the monthly or China section, is one of the freest flowering and most charming of all Roses. In mild autumns it flowers freely until Christmas when planted in sheltered positions. It enjoys a rich soil, and should be pegged down annually, merely thinning out the growths in spring. May go in any part of the garden or grounds, and it is perhaps unequalled for covering southern slopes. Fellenberg is exceptionally free also.

Rosa rubiginosa (the Sweet Briar).—Every woodland walk, wilderness, or wild garden should have one bed or more of this fragrant plant. The delicious scent emitted from its foliage in spring after showers is very welcome, and the bushes, when heavily laden with the bright-red fruits in autumn and winter, are most effective. This should be planted at a distance of 3 feet apart in well-trenched and heavily-manured ground, and clipped over every spring.

Rubus.—Nearly the whole of these may be freely grouped. Only those most successful at Elstree are mentioned: R. biflorus (the white-washed Bramble) is one of the most distinct and effective of the whole class. During winter it looks as if it had been painted white, and when planted close to the Scarlet Dogwood is exceedingly attractive in the distance. It succeeds best on a good deep loam, and the old growths should be cut out every winter. Plant at a distance of 4 feet apart. R. canadensis rosea (the flowering Raspberry) is invaluable for making large beds. It continues to produce its highly-coloured flowers freely all through the summer and autumn. Plant 3 feet apart and thin out the old growths annually. R. ulmifolius roseo flore-pleno, also the white form alba (the double-flowered Blackberry), may be grouped on slopes. The old growths should be cut out annually, and plant 4 feet apart. R. laciniata (American Blackberry) is the best of the fruiting kinds for this purpose; it produces large crops of valuable fruit every year. Treat in the same way as advised for the above. R. phœnicolasius (the Japanese Wineberry). This somewhat new form of Rubus is one of the best plants for this kind of planting. It bears freely, and the fruits are much appreciated by many, and its bright canes during winter produce a most pleasing effect. It is a strong grower when planted in good soil at a distance of 5 feet apart. Remove all the old canes during winter. The ordinary garden forms of Raspberry also make fine groups in the unkept parts of the grounds. The old growths should be pruned out each autumn, when the young canes have a warm and pleasing appearance.

Salix.—Many of the Willows form splendid features during the winter months. Perhaps on a fine winter's day large masses of the highly-coloured barked Willows can hardly be excelled for their beauty and rich colouring, but, of course, are only adapted for waterside planting or low, wet, marshy land. Nothing is more readily propagated from cuttings than these. They should be planted 3 feet apart, and the young growths pruned hard to the ground annually the last week in March, for it must be borne in mind that any wood more than twelve months old has very little, if any, beauty in it. The most important for the beauty of their wood are Salix vitellina, the golden-barked Willow, S. alba britzensis, warm, orange-coloured bark, very beautiful, S. cardinalis (which has bright-red bark), and S. purpurea, purple. Though the last mentioned is not so effective in the distance as the foregoing, it is well worthy of cultivation. Only one other Willow will be mentioned; it should be planted for its summer beauty, that is S. rosmarinifolia. Its beautiful grey foliage much resembles that of Rosemary. It is not so robust a grower as many of the family, and there is no beauty in the wood during winter, consequently the growths should only be shortened back to within three eyes of the base annually.

Sambucus.—The Elder family, like the preceding, is a large one, and fortunately adapts itself to almost any soil and situation. First and foremost must be mentioned Sambucus nigra aurea, a bold and beautiful tall-growing Elder, and its rich golden foliage produces a marvellous effect in the landscape. Large bold masses of this should always be used where practical in a half-open position. Hard pruning in this case must be carried out, cutting the summer's growth close to the ground annually in the last week of March. The effect of the greenish-grey wood in winter when treated in this way is pleasing; the silvery variegated form, though not so showy, is worthy of a place where the grounds are extensive. Should be planted on poor soil in an open position, and pruned hard annually. S. n. laciniata (the Parsley-leaved Elder) is a beautiful and distinct form of the cut-leaved Elder, which attains its true character and makes splendid beds; it requires the same kind of treatment as to pruning as the above. S. racemosa foliis aurea is unquestionably the finest variety in cultivation, and one would like to see it more often in our gardens, but there seems to be an unreasonable prejudice against golden-leaved shrubs, however beautiful. It does best on a deep rich soil in a fully-exposed position, and prune back hard early in April. The cuttings should be propagated in pots in a cold frame. The whole of the Elders should be planted 3 feet apart.

Spartium junceum (the Spanish Broom).—Flowers in early autumn and lasts a considerable time. Its bright-yellow blooms are very telling in the distance. Plant 4 feet apart, and prune after flowering.

SPIRÆA CANESCENS (syn. flagelliformis).

Spiræas.—Another beautiful and interesting class for effect either in summer or winter, when sufficiently large plantations are made and properly treated. The whole of these should be planted at a distance of 2 feet apart, on deeply-trenched and well-manured ground. The North-West American Spiræa Douglasi, though one of the most common, is unsurpassed for its distinct and beautiful wood during autumn and winter, but the only way to see it at its best is to cut it clean to the ground every year during the last week in March. It will then produce young strong growths from 4 to 5 feet in height, each of which will furnish fine heads of deep-pink flowers during summer, and its beautiful, warm-looking, nut-brown wood in winter is among the most richly toned of all the barks which are used to produce effect, and yet when grown in the ordinary way, and partially pruned down, as we in nearly all cases see it, it produces miserable flowers, and the wood is uninteresting. About every third or fourth year after pruning give a surface dressing of half-decayed manure and loam in equal proportions. The prunings should be tied up and saved for staking purposes; they are of the utmost value for all kinds of slender-growing plants. S. callosa also makes a fine bed, and is very effective during late summer; its large heads of deep-pink flowers render it most conspicuous; they are produced when the others are past their best. It should be cut to the ground every third year. S. prunifolia flore-pleno is a very beautiful form, flowers freely in March and April, and its foliage assumes lovely tints in the autumn. It is of very graceful habit, and well suited for banks or overhanging rocks. It should be moderately pruned each year, and when it attains to a leggy appearance cut hard back. S. canescens (syn. flagelliformis) makes splendid beds owing to the pretty arrangement of the foliage. This should be pruned to the ground annually.