The Snowy Mespilus (Amelanchier Bo-tryapium)

The Snowy Mespilus (Amelanchier Bo-tryapium), with its racemes of white flowers and desirable outline, is a valuable shrub for planting in towns. The flowers are produced in early spring, when lawns and gardens look dull and cheerless. Of free growth, it succeeds in any fairly good soil and soon forms a handsome specimen.

The Mock Orange or Syringa (Phila-delphus coronarius)

The Mock Orange or Syringa (Phila-delphus coronarius) can ill be spared from any collection of town shrubs, it being one of the best for withstanding prolonged heat and smoke. It is wonderfully recuperative, and even when planted where smoke and other impurities of the air are acknowledged to be particularly abundant, the Mock Orange comes through the ordeal in a truly surprising manner. It grows about 8 ft. high, with ovate and serrulated leaves and pretty racemes of yellowish-white flowers in May.

P. Gordonianus and P. Grandiflorus should also find places in town gardening.

The Bearberry (Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi)

Judging from a specimen which has been growing for many years in the gardens of the Royal Botanic Society of London, in Regent's Park, where the atmosphere is by no means free from soot and smoke, and where fogs are particularly bad, this native of high-lying districts would appear to be suitable for planting in towns. There it has become quite established and formed a spreading mass about 2 ft. through, the obovate, dark green leaves being as fresh and healthy as one finds them on Scottish hillsides. Being of low procumbent growth, it is, however, best suited for the rock garden or for planting in the front row of a shrubbery.

Rhododendron Ponticum

Rhododendron Ponticum is largely used for planting in the more smoky parts of such manufacturing towns as Manchester, Liverpool, and Warrington. In London it does fairly well when subjected to smoke and soot, but it is apt to become rusty and require replenishing. For suburban districts it is better suited.

Kerria Japonica

Kerria Japonica has good claims to be considered as a town shrub, and is one of those accommodating members of the Rose family that can succeed almost anywhere. As a wall plant for the town garden, it is in common use, and, being highly ornamental both in leaf and flower and well suited for training, has special recommendations for extended use. The orange yellow flowers are produced in great rosettes, and, while the shrub is perhaps best suited for wall purposes, yet it makes a handsome standard or shrubbery specimen. In many parts of London both the species and variegated leaved form do remarkably well.

The Snowdrop Tree (Halesia Tetrap-Tera)

It is well to know that so beautiful and hardy a shrub as the Snowdrop Tree is suitable for town culture. It succeeds in various parts of London, one in the East End which we measured being 8 ft. high and nearly as much in spread of branches. The flowers, which resemble the Snowdrop, are ivory white, drooping, and produced in lateral fascicles of eight or ten together. Soil of a peaty nature would appear to suit it best.