Trees and Shrubs for English Gardens Part 25

CLETHRA ARBOREA.--Madeira. The Lily-of-the-Valley tree. Evergreen. It bears panicles of white, bell-shaped flowers in the summer, at which time it is quite a feature at Tresco. There are good bushes, the largest about 7 feet in height, at Trewidden, near Penzance.

COROKIA BUDDLEIOIDES.--New Zealand. A tall-growing evergreen shrub, with leaves 2 to 6 inches in length. _C. Cotoneaster_ is a spreading shrub with small leaves. Both species bear yellow, sweet-scented flowers. The first was at Ludgvan Rectory, Cornwall, the second at Bishop's Teignton.

South Devon.

CORREA.--Australia. Greenhouse evergreen shrubs which do well at Tresco, and also in some gardens on the mainland. _C. cardinalis_ is the most brilliant, but _C. ventricosa_ is almost as highly coloured. The two named, as well as _C. alba_, _C. bicolor_, _C. carnea_, _C. glauca_, _C.

magnifica_, and _C. virens_ are sometimes seen in good health and flower on the mainland.

CORYNOCARPUS LaeVIGATUS.--New Zealand. An evergreen tree, bearing panicles of white flowers followed by plum-like fruit. A healthy young plant is at Ludgvan Rectory.

CRINODENDRON HOOKERI (TRICUSPIDARIA HEXAPETALA).--Chili. A particularly handsome shrub, growing to a height of 5 feet, bearing large, drooping, cherry-red, urn-shaped flowers on long peduncles, the petals being very fine in texture. In many gardens.

CYTISUS RACEMOSUS.--Peak of Teneriffe. One of the commonest and most popular greenhouse plants. It grows to 8 or 10 feet in height in the south-west and often flowers until Christmas.

DAPHNE INDICA.--India. Both the white and purple-red form of this fragrant plant are common in the open in Devon and Cornwall, and in mild seasons commence to bloom in January. Some old plants have formed large bushes in front of walls.

DAPHNIPHYLLUM GLAUCESCENS.--China. Evergreen. This is hardy, but is uncommon. A very large specimen is at Trewidden, and is 12 feet in height and 20 feet in spread. It has long shining leaves, the shoots being red in colour; these, early in April, are surrounded by closely cl.u.s.tered, maroon-red flower-buds.

DATURA SANGUINEA.--Peru. This grows to a large size in the south-west, often forming a tree 12 feet or more in height, and, in mild winters, blooming until February. _D. suaveolens_, Mexico, is probably more tender, as such large specimens are rarely seen.

DENDROMECON RIGIDUS.--California. A handsome shrub with glaucous leaves, the branchlets terminated by bright-yellow poppy-like flowers. It succeeds best in poor soil that does not induce vigorous growth. Enys.

DESFONTAINEA SPINOSA.--Chili. A most distinct evergreen shrub, with leaves resembling those of a Holly. It bears tubular flowers 3 inches in length of a bright vermilion tipped with yellow, and is a very handsome object when in full flower. It commences to bloom in the summer, and often holds many of its flowers until November. The largest specimen met with was about 8 feet in height, and was in the neighbourhood of Teignmouth. The Desfontainea is to be found in most gardens.

DIOSMA ERICOIDES.--South Africa. A heath-like evergreen shrub, bearing single white flowers not unlike those of a Myrtle. Its leaves are fragrant when bruised. A healthy plant, about 4 ft. by 4 ft., trained against a wall, was coming into bloom at Tregothnan at the end of March.

DIOSPYROS KAKI.--The Persimmon. China. This is hardy, but rarely fruits except in the south-west. A tree at Bishop's Teignton produced fruit, which ripened well, in 1890. In autumn the colouring of its foliage is very attractive.

DRIMYS (TASMANNIA) AROMATICA.--Tasmania. An evergreen shrub or small tree, bearing tiny white flowers in spring. Its leaves, if bitten, are very pungent, stinging the palate like pepper. The finest specimen known to the writer is one 15 feet in height at Menabilly. _D. Winteri_--South America. A handsome flowering shrub, bearing ivory-yellow, fragrant flowers, an inch across. At Bishop's Teignton there is a good example over 12 feet in height. Both species are fairly well distributed in gardens.

DRYOBALANOPS AROMATICA.--Sumatra. The Camphor tree. There is at Penjerrick a good specimen 20 feet in height.

EDWARDSIA GRANDIFLORA SYN. SOPHORA TETRAPTERA.--The New Zealand Laburnum. This and its variety _E. microphylla_ bear racemes of yellow flowers, the individual blooms being 2 inches long in the first case, and about half the length in the second, in the spring. Examples 10 feet or so in height are to be found in some gardens.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _EDWARDSIA GRANDIFLORA._]

EMBOTHRIUM COCCINEUM.--South America. The Fire Bush. The most brilliant of all flowering trees capable of outdoor culture in this country. In May every twig is laden with cl.u.s.ters of long flowers of glowing scarlet, the trees presenting a most gorgeous spectacle. Every good garden in Cornwall and most in South Devon possesses specimens, some containing a dozen or more. The finest are probably Trewidden and Penjerrick, where they are 30 feet in height and as much in spread.

ERIOSTEMON BUXIFOLIUS.--Australia. A small evergreen shrub, bearing pink flowers in the spring. Tresco.

ESCALLONIA ILLINITA.--Chili. Bears white flowers in July. There is one 15 feet high at Menabilly. _E. revoluta_--Chili. Bears white flowers three quarters of an inch long in August, 20 feet high. Menabilly. _E.

organensis_--Organ Mountains. Bears rose-coloured flowers. Fine specimens in more than one garden. _E. floribunda_--Montevideo. Bears fragrant white flowers in August. Common in the south-west.

EUCALYPTI.--Australia. Some thirty or forty specimens are grown, of which perhaps the best known are: _E. globulus_, which has attained a height of 50 feet; _E. citriodora_, 20 feet, against the house at Togerthnan; _E. amygdalina_, &c. Many flower freely and bear fertile seed. _E. Gunnii_ flowers freely at Parkstone, Dorset, in Professor Wallace's garden. It is quite hardy there.

EUCRYPHIA PINNATIFOLIA.--Chili. A beautiful deciduous flowering shrub, bearing large white flowers like a St. John's Wort, with bright-yellow anthers. A specimen at Trewidden is 8 feet in height.

EUONYMUS FIMBRIATUS.--j.a.pan and India. This shrub is chiefly remarkable for the tint of its young leaf.a.ge, which is bright crimson, and gives a vivid, flower-like effect at a little distance in April. Met with at Tregothnan and Abbotsbury.

EUPATORIUM WEINMANNIANUM.--South America. This soon grows into a rounded bush 10 feet or so in height and as much in diameter. It bears its flat heads of fragrant white flowers in autumn and well into winter, the flowers being succeeded by fluffy seed-vessels. It is quite common.

EURYA LATIFOLIA.--j.a.pan. Half-hardy. An evergreen shrub, with leaves somewhat like those of a Camellia, bearing small white flowers. There is a variegated form that at one time was used for greenhouse decoration.

Tresco.

FABIANA IMBRICATA.--Chili. A charming evergreen heath-like shrub, bearing a profusion of pure-white tubular flowers cl.u.s.tered thickly around every shoot. A fine example 8 feet in height is at Trelissick, but it is a common plant in the south-west.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _FABIANA IMBRICATA IN FLOWER IN A DEVONSHIRE GARDEN._]

f.a.gUS CLIFFORTIOIDES.--The New Zealand Beech. A tree with minute leaves, which have given it the name of Birch in its native land. In New Zealand it is evergreen, but in this country is deciduous. A good specimen is at Enys.

FREMONTIA CALIFORNICA.--An extremely handsome deciduous flowering shrub, bearing bright-yellow, cupped flowers 3 inches in diameter with orange stamens. It often remains in bloom for months. Large plants have unfortunately a way of dying off when apparently in good health, several fine specimens having succ.u.mbed in this manner. The finest we now know of is one growing in bush form about 8 feet in height at Newton Abbot, but the same garden contained at one time a larger example.

GREVILLEA.--Australia. _G. rosmarinifolia_, with carmine-red flowers, forms a vigorous shrub, growing to a height of 8 feet with a spread of 7 feet. It is to be found in many gardens. At Tregothnan, _G. Priessii_, with pink and yellow flowers; _G. alpina_, red-tipped yellow; and _G.

sulphurea_ are grown; and we have seen _G. robusta_, which had been in the open for three years. All species are evergreen.

GUEVINA AVELLANA.--Chili. A very ornamental evergreen tree, with large impari-pinnate leaves of a deep, glossy green, bearing white flowers followed by coral-red fruit the size of a cherry. There is a fine specimen at Greenway, 20 feet in height, which has ripened fruits from which seedlings have been raised.

HABROTHAMNUS CORYMBOSUS.--Mexico. This well-known red-flowered greenhouse shrub does admirably as a bush plant in the open, as does _H.

elegans_, with purple-red flowers. They often carry bloom as late as November and are frequently met with.

HAKEA LAURINA.--Australia. An evergreen shrub, bearing cl.u.s.ters of rosy-lilac flowers. Menabilly. Mr. Fitzherbert says, "I am not aware if it has flowered in this country."

HELIOCARPUS CYANEUS.--Tropical America. A small evergreen tree, bearing blue flowers. Tresco.

HOHERIA POPULNEA.--New Zealand. The Houhere of the natives. Ribbon-wood.

With pure white flowers and a handsome foliage. Enys and other gardens.

ILLICIUM ANISATUM.--j.a.pan. A half-hardy evergreen shrub, bearing cl.u.s.ters of ivory-white flowers. Held sacred by the j.a.panese, who burn the bark before the shrines of their deities. Tresco. _I. floridanum_, Southern States of America, bearing maroon flowers. Not uncommon.

INDIGOFERA GERARDIANA.--India. A low-branching evergreen shrub, with finely-divided foliage, bearing racemes 5 inches in length of rose-purple, pea-like flowers. Common. There is a white variety which is rarely seen.

JACARANDA MIMOSaeFOLIA.--Brazil. A very graceful evergreen tree with acacia-like leaves a foot in length, bearing panicles of drooping violet-blue flowers. There is a fine young plant at Rosehill, Falmouth.

LAGERSTROEMIA INDICA.--A handsome deciduous shrub, bearing large bright-pink flowers.

LEPTOSPERMUM.--Australia. _L. baccatum_ and _L. scoparium_ are the most generally met with. Both bear small white flowers and are evergreen.

We have seen the former 12 feet and the latter 20 feet in height. Other species are also grown.

LIBONIA FLORIBUNDA.--Brazil. The favourite greenhouse flowering shrub, bearing drooping scarlet and yellow blossoms. Tresco and one mainland garden.

LITSEA GENICULATA.--Southern United States. A deciduous shrub or tree, bearing white flowers in May. The largest in England is probably one at Menabilly, 25 feet in height.

MELALEUCA HYPERICIFOLIA.--Australia. An evergreen shrub, bearing scarlet bottle-brush flowers. Tresco.

MELIA AZEDARACH.--Tropical Asia. The Bead tree, so called from the seeds being used for rosaries, bearing much-branched panicles of fragrant lilac flowers. Leaves bipinnate and deeply serrated. Rosehill.

Evergreen.

MELIANTHUS MAJOR.--Cape of Good Hope. A well-known plant in sub-tropical gardening. At Rosehill it has reached a height of 12 feet.