CHAPTER XXV

TENDER WALL PLANTS IN THE SOUTH-WEST

The notes on tender shrubs and trees grown in the south-west are fittingly supplemented by a passing reference to plants used for covering walls, mostly of climbing habit, but a few of shrubby growth.

BIGNONIA.--_B. (Tecoma) radicans_ is a hardy climber, and _B. capreolata_ may also be considered so. Other members of the family grown in the open are _B. capensis_, Cape of Good Hope, orange; _B. Cherere_, Guiana, orange scarlet; and _B. speciosa_, Uruguay, pink. Greenway on the Dart.

BERBERIDOPSIS CORALLINA.--Chili. Drooping crimson flowers borne in racemes in the autumn. This evergreen plant does best in peat or leaf-mould in a partially shaded position. Common.

BOUGAINVILLEA GLABRA.--Brazil. This climber cannot be considered a success in the open in the south-west, but in two gardens it has been grown and flowers, but in neither case has it exhibited a tithe of the freedom of growth displayed by it under glass.

BUCKLANDIA POPULNEA.--Himalayas. A handsome evergreen foliage plant, said to grow to a height of 100 feet in its native habitat. Its large heart-shaped leaves are tinted with bronze and maroon. Tregothnan.

CALLICARPA PURPUREA.--India. An evergreen shrub bearing small inconspicuous flowers, followed by violet-coloured berries. Trewidden, Penzance.

CASSIA CORYMBOSA.--Buenos Ayres. A rambling shrub, almost invariably grown against a wall, though it has been met with planted against a wire fence, and spreading out on either side. In August it is a mass of golden-yellow bloom, some of which it often retains until Christmas. With wall protection it reaches a height of 12 feet or more, and when in flower is a striking object in the garden. It is fairly common in the south-west.

CHORIZEMA.--Australia. Well-known evergreen greenhouse plants, bearing pea-like flowers of orange and red. Masses 7 feet in height and more in breadth grow against the walls at Trewidden, and begin to flower in March. _C. cordatum_ and _C. Lowii_ are the species generally grown.

CISSUS DISCOLOR.--Java. A climber, bearing greenish-yellow blossoms.

CLEMATIS INDIVISA LOBATA.--New Zealand. This beautiful white-flowered Clematis grows well in many gardens, and commences to bloom in March.

CLIANTHUS PUNICEUS.--New Zealand. A brilliant-flowered evergreen climber, bearing large flowers, somewhat resembling lobsters' claws, scarlet crimson in hue. It sometimes comes into flower as early as Christmas, the number of its blossoms increasing until mid-May, when it is a glowing sheet of colour. The finest plant Mr. Fitzherbert knows is at Stoke Fleming, near Dartmouth, where it covers the side of a large house.

DIPLACUS (MIMULUS) GLUTINOSUS.--California. Another popular greenhouse plant, bearing buff flowers, which succeeds admirably against walls in many gardens, growing some 5 feet in height.

ELÆOCARPUS CYANEUS.--Australia. An evergreen plant of shrubby growth, bearing whitish-blue flowers. Greenway.

ERCILLA (BRIDGESIA) VOLUBILIS.--Chili. A self-clinging evergreen climber, bearing inconspicuous flowers. Fairly common, but scarcely attractive.

HIBBERTIA DENTATA.--Australia. An evergreen climber, with foliage of deep bronze, bearing single bright-yellow flowers in April. Trewidden. _H. Reidii_, also yellow-flowered. Tregothnan.

HYDRANGEA PETIOLARIS.--Japan. A rampant-growing climber, bearing flat flower-heads, composed of blooms the minority of which are sterile. It clings naturally, and is displayed to best advantage when allowed to ascend a bare tree trunk. At Menabilly, Cornwall, a specimen planted twelve years ago has ascended the columnar trunk of a Turkey Oak to a height of almost 40 feet.

INGA PULCHERRIMA.--Mexico. An evergreen shrub, bearing bright-scarlet flowers in summer. A fine plant covering a large expanse of wall is at Greenway.

KENNEDYA NIGRICANS.--Australia. An evergreen climber, bearing violet-purple racemes of small pea-like blossoms. Greenway. _K. alba_ is also grown.

LAPAGERIA.--Chili. This handsome evergreen climber, producing long wax-like blossoms of white and rose, is well known under glass. In the south-west it does well in the open against a north wall, in peaty compost, often bearing its flowers as late as Christmas.

LASIANDRA (PLEROMA TIBOUCHINA) MACRANTHA.--Brazil. A beautiful evergreen shrub of climbing habit, bearing large violet flowers. It is usually cut down by frost, but breaks again strongly in the spring. Trewidden and other gardens.

MANDEVILLA SUAVEOLENS.--Buenos Ayres. A lovely deciduous climber, bearing large, white, deliciously-fragrant flowers in August. It does well in several gardens in the south-west, in some of which it seeds freely.

MICHELIA (MAGNOLIA) FUSCATA.--China. An evergreen or sub-evergreen shrub (according to position), bearing dull-purple sweetly-scented flowers. Tregothnan.

PHOENOCOMA PROLIFERA.--Cape of Good Hope.--An evergreen shrub, bearing large, terminal, crimson flower-heads. Trewidden.

PHYSIANTHUS ALBENS SYN. ARAUJIA ALBENS.--Brazil. An evergreen climber, bearing a profusion of white flowers, which later assume a reddish tinge. Common in the south-west. The finest specimen Mr. Fitzherbert has seen grew against a cliff-face in the public gardens at Torquay. It spread to a height and breadth of considerably over 20 feet, and one year bore over a dozen huge corrugated seed-pods, about the size of a cricket ball, but oval in shape. This strain killed the plant, but a young one has now taken its place.

PLUMBAGO CAPENSIS.--Cape of Good Hope. A climbing evergreen shrub, bearing large heads of pale-blue flowers; a favourite conservatory plant. It is grown in several gardens, and flowers well in the open. A fine example, which has been unprotected for five months, is growing in the same site as the Physianthus alluded to above.

PUERARIA THUNBERGIANA.--Khasia. An evergreen climber, with leaves 5 inches in diameter, bearing blue flowers. Fibre is obtained from the stems and starch from the roots. Tregothnan.

RHODOCHITON VOLUBILE.--Mexico. A climber, bearing blood-red drooping flowers. This plant, in common with Lothospermum and Maurandya, all three of which are perennials, is almost invariably killed by the winter, but is easily raised from seed. Rosehill, Falmouth.

RHYNCHOSPERMUM (TRACHELOSPERMUM) JASMINOIDES.--Shanghai. An evergreen climber, hardy in the south-west, bearing countless starry-white flowers, most delicately perfumed in August. It is to be met with in the majority of gardens, and in one it has covered the house porch.

RUSCUS ANDROGYNUS SYN. SEMELE ANDROGYNA.--Canary Islands. An evergreen climber, valuable for its striking foliage. The leaves, or rather cladodes, are over a foot in length, and are furnished with from twelve to twenty pinnate sections of a glossy green. Penjerrick, Falmouth, where it has borne its inconspicuous greenish-white flowers.

SOLANUM WENDLANDI.--Costa Rica. An evergreen climber, bearing clusters of large lilac-blue flowers, 2½ inches in diameter. The late Rev. H. Ewbank, in whose garden at Ryde the finest specimen we have seen was growing, considered it the best of all the tender climbers amenable to open-air culture in the south-west.

SOLLYA HETEROPHYLLA.--Australia. Bluebell Creeper. An evergreen climber, bearing drooping blue flowers. Tregothnan.

STAUNTONIA (HOLBOELLIA) LATIFOLIA.--Himalayas. An evergreen climber, with oval leathery leaves, bearing in April clusters of greenish-white flowers, delightfully odorous. A very common plant in the south-west.

STREPTOSOLEN JAMESONI.--Columbia. A handsome evergreen shrub, in great request for clothing conservatory pillars, &c. It bears panicles of orange-red flowers, and when in full bloom has a brilliant effect. A plant about 7 feet in height is growing against the house at Trewidden.

SWAINSONIA ALBIFLORA.--Australia. An evergreen leguminous shrub, bearing white pea-like flowers, well known in greenhouses. It is grown in several gardens, and if cut down by sharp frosts breaks strongly again in the spring.

TACSONIA EXONENSIS.--A hybrid between _T. Van Volxemii_ and _T. mollissima_. Bearing bright rosy-pink flowers. Trewidden.

T. MOLLISSIMA.--Quito. A vigorous species, bearing pink flowers, with tubes from 4 to 5 inches in length. Though Quito is on the equator, its height above sea-level being 9600 feet, the temperature is not unduly high. There is a large plant, which has had to be kept within bounds by periodical pruning, at Rosehill.