The finest of our native sorts are the Red and Yellow trumpet Honeysuckles, (L. sempervirens and L. flava,) which have the terminal leaves on each branch, joined together at the base, or perfoliate, making a single leaf. They blossom in the greatest profusion during the whole summer and autumn, and their rich blossom-tubes, sprinkled in numerous clusters over the exterior of the foliage, as well as an abundance of scarlet berries in autumn, entitle them to high regard. There is also a very strong and vigorous species, called the Orange pubescent Honeysuckle, (L. pubescens,) with large, hairy, ciliate leaves, and fine large tawny or orange-coloured flowers. It is a very luxuriant plant in its habit, and a very distinct species to the eye. All these native sorts have but very slight fragrance. The Chinese twining Honeysuckle, (L. flexuosa,) is certainly one of the finest of the genus. In the form of the leaf it much resembles the common Woodbine; but the foliage is much darker coloured, and is also sub-evergreen, hanging on half the winter, and in sheltered spots, even till spring. It blossoms when the plant is old, several times during the summer, bearing an abundance of beautiful flowers, open at the mouth, red outside, and striped with red, white, or yellow within. It grows remarkably fast, climbing to the very summit of trees in a short time; and the flowers, which first appear in June, are deliciously fragrant. In all its varieties the Honeysuckle is a charming plant, either to adorn the porch of the cottage, the latticed bower of the garden, to both of which spots they are especially dedicated; or to climb the stems of the old forest tree, where— "With clasping tendrils it infests the branch And fragrant chaplet; recompensing well There it diffuses through the air a delicious breath, that renders a walk beneath the shade of the tall trees doubly delightful, while its flowers give a gayety and brightness to the park, which forest trees, producing usually but inconspicuous blossoms, could not alone produce. Some of the climbing Roses, are very lovely objects in the pleasure-grounds. Many of them, at the north, as the Multifloras, Noisettes, etc., require some covering in the winter, and are therefore better fitted for the garden. At the south, where they are quite hardy, they are, however, most luxuriant and splendid objects. But there are two classes of Roses that are perfectly hardy climbers, and may therefore be employed with great advantage by the Landscape Gardener the Michigan, and the Boursalt roses. The single Michigan is a most compact and vigorous grower, and often, in its wild haunts in the west, clambers over the tops of tall forest trees, and decks them with its abundant clusters of pale purple flowers. There are now in our gardens several beautiful double varieties of this, and among them, one, called Beauty of the Prairies, is most admired for its large rich buds and blossoms of a deep rose colour. The Boursalt roses are remarkable for their profusion of flowers, and for their shining, reddish stems, with few thorns. The common Purple or Crimson Boursalt, is quite a wonder of beauty in the latter part of May, when trained on the wall of a cottage, being then literally covered with blossoms and it is so hardy that scarcely a branch is ever injured by the cold of winter. The Blush, and the Elegans and still richer and finer varieties of this class of roses, all of which are well worthy of attention. We have to regret that the inclemency of our winters will not permit us to cultivate the White European Jasmine, (Jasminum officinale,) out of the garden, as even there it requires a slight protection in winter. Below the latitude. of Philadelphia, however, it will probably succeed well. In the southern states they have a most lovely plant, the Carolina Jasmine, (Gelseminum,) which hangs its beautiful yellow flowers on the very tree tops, and the woods there in spring are redolent with their perfume. The connoisseur in vines will not forget the curious Periploca, which grows very rapidly to the height of 40 or 50 feet, and bears numerous bunches of very curious brown or purple flowers in summer; or the Double-blossoming Brambles, both pink and white, which often make shoots of 20 or 30 feet long in a season, and bear pretty clusters of full double flowers in June. All these fine climbers, and several others to be found in the catalogues, may, in the hands of a person of taste, be made to contribute in a wonderful degree to the variety, elegance, and beauty of a country residence; and to neglect to introduce them would be to refuse the aid of some of the most beautiful accessories that are capable of being combined with trees, as well as with buildings, gardens, and fences. Some persons object to the growth of climbing plants upon trees, that, by compressing the stems and tightening themselves around the limbs of trees, they gradually check their growth, and finally by preventing the expansion of the trunk, put an end to the life of the tree. This, we have no doubt, has been the case when young trees in the full vigour of growth have been completely encompassed and wound about with the strong growing woody creepers; but it so rarely happens, (scarcely ever in the case of middle-sized trees, on which vines are more generally planted,) that we consider the objection of no moment. Indeed, were all this true, the management of the growth of any vine, however luxuriant, is so completely within the power of the cultivator, that by a very trifling annual attention, he can entirely prevent the possibility of any such injurious effects. The reader must not imagine, from the remarks which we have here made on the beauty and charms of climbing plants, that we would desire to see every tree, in an extensive park, wreathed about, and overhung, with fantastic vines and creepers. Such is by no means our intention. We should consider such a proceeding as something in the worst possible taste. There are some trees whose rugged and ungraceful forms would refuse all such accompaniment; and others from whose dignity and majesty it would be improper to detract, even by adding the gracefulness of the loveliest vine. Such, too, is never the case in nature, as, for one tree decked in this manner we see a hundred which are not, and the very rarity of the example imparts additional beauty and interest to it when it appears. This should be the case in all artificial plantations; and he who has a true and lively feeling for the graceful and picturesque, will easily understand at a glance where these expressions will be strengthened or weakened by the addition of more grace and elegance. A few scattered trees here and there, with whose forms the plans adopted harmonize, draped and festooned with the most appropriate climbing plants, will be all that can be properly introduced in any scene, unless it be of a very artificial character; but even these additional accessories, simple as they may seem, often produce an effect singularly beautiful, which shows how much in real landscape, as well as in painting, depends upon a few finishing touches to the scene. Although we are not now writing of buildings, it is not inappropriate here to remark how much may be done in the country, and indeed even in town, by using vines and creepers to decorate buildings. The cottage in this country, too rarely conveys the idea of comfort and happiness which we wish to attach to such a habitation, and chiefly because so often it stands bleak, solitary, and exposed to every ray of our summer sun, with a scanty robe of foliage to shelter it. How different such edifices, however humble, become when the porch is overhung with climbing plants,— when the blushing rose-buds peep in at the window sill, or the ripe purple clusters of the grape hang down about the eaves, those who have seen the better cottages of England, well know. Very little care and very trifling expense, will procure all the additional beauty; and it is truly wonderful how much so little once done, adds to the happiness of the inmates. Every man feels prouder of his home, when it is a pleasant spot for the eye to rest upon, than when it is situated in a desert, or overgrown with weeds. Besides this, tasteful embellishment has a tendency to refine the feelings of every member of the family; and every leisure hour spent in rendering more lovely and agreeable even the humblest cottage, is infinitely better employed than in lounging about in idle and useless dissipation. |