Climbers
First among these, of course, is Veitch's Ampelopsis, the finest of all deciduous climbers for walls, being self-supporting and changing to crimson in autumn. Vitis Coignetiæ is one of the noblest of all Vines, and turns crimson also. Other Vines useful in this respect are the Teinturier Vine, purple; V. Romaneti, red; and the Virginian Creeper, especially that variety known as muralis or Engelmannii, which clings to walls or tree trunks without any artificial support, and acquires beautiful red shades in autumn. Among Honeysuckles, Lonicera japonica var. flexuosa is noteworthy for the fine red purple of its decaying leaves. Those of Akebia quinata change colour in autumn and assume shades of brownish purple, sometimes touched with maroon. Then there is Actinidia Kolomikta, an Asiatic species with showy yellow-coloured leaves in autumn. Of the Ivies Hedera Helix atropurpurea is much the best. It has medium-sized leaves which are rich green during the growing season, but change in winter to purple and maroon.
CHAPTER XI
TREES AND SHRUBS WITH FINE FRUITS
The most important of all the groups of trees and shrubs, for their fruit, is the one comprising the hardy species of the Rose order. This includes, of course, besides the Roses, such trees and shrubs as the Thorns, Crabs, and Cotoneasters. Among the Thorns (Cratægus) are many very handsome sorts giving variety in size and colour of the fruits. It is unfortunate that many of them fall early and get spoilt by birds. At the same time birds add so greatly to the delight of the garden that we may well overlook their depredations. By many, indeed, these fruiting trees will be considered worth growing for the encouragement they give to bird-life. It may be well to remind planters that a considerable number of these fruiting trees and shrubs bear male flowers on one plant, female on another. People are often at a loss to understand why their Sea Buckthorns or Aucubas or Skimmias do not fruit, when the simple reason is that the plants are all male (or pollen-bearing), or that the female ones have no males to fertilise them. As a general rule, if these shrubs are grouped, one male to eight or ten females is a proper proportion. As plants raised from seeds come in about equal proportions of both sexes, it is necessary to select the females and keep just sufficient males to pollenise them, in order that the full beauty of the species as a fruit-bearer may be obtained. With Skimmias and Aucubas the proper proportions can be obtained by means of cuttings.
The following hardy trees and shrubs are the most conspicuous for the beauty of their fruits:—
Arbutus Unedo.—A native of Western Ireland, has strawberry-like fruits of a bright-scarlet colour.
Ailantus glandulosa, a fine tree over 50 feet high, is very beautiful when covered with its red and yellow-winged fruits; there are male and female plants.
Aucubas, grown at first for their ornamental foliage merely, have latterly come into prominence as fruit-bearers; the female plants bear clusters of bright-red berries which remain long on the branches and are very attractive in winter.