The Superior Hill Gardeners who swop experiences of the losses—some
only just appearing—from the hard winter, are multiplying examples of the comparative immunity of upland as opposed to valley gardens. In one lovely and well-protected valley garden over a hundred rose bushes and a whole hedge of golden privet, not at all a tender shrub, have been completely killed, and other losses are many. On an exposed highland close by the losses are restricted to a single berberis, a rosemary and rock rose or two, and some variegated thyme. The roses are wholly immune, and compara- tively tender shrubs, such as the evergreen ceanothus, have sur- vived, though with wounded limbs. It is well to remember on such occasions that some shrubs are "generally shamming when they're dead." That lovely blue-flowered shrub, the ceratostigma, for example, is shooting from the base. It is less fortunate that grubs also have survived. The multitude of slugs and of onion- eating grubs is altogether exceptional.
W. BEACH THOMAS.
Previous page
