The Beam Tree in London
The White Beam Tree (Pyrus Aria).—In many of the confined spaces in Glasgow the white beam tree grows luxuriously, and produces annually great quantities of its brightly-tinted berries.
The Lime (Tilia europæa).—Where the situation is not too confined, and where soot and smoke do not abound, the lime may, and does, succeed; but in the worst parts of the metropolis it soon shows signs of distress, the tops of the branches dying off, and the whole tree sooner or later showing the fierce struggle it has to endure with smoke and fumes. As an avenue tree in the more airy and pure parts of a town, the lime has certainly few equals, its general contour and the pleasing shade it affords being points of special recommendation.
The Sycamore (Acer pseudo-platanus).—This tree may be classed as amongst the most useful for planting in smoky towns.
In Warrington, where the noxious emanations from alkali and other chemical works are most disastrous in their effects on vegetation, the sycamore is one of the few trees that grow satisfactorily. Being a rapid and strong grower, it is thus seen to be, for a certain time at least, unaffected by its inimical surroundings. The variegated variety would seem from recent experiments to be preferable, and better adapted for smoky localities than the normal form.
The Weeping Ash (Fraxinus excelsior pendula) would seem to be superior to the common ash for planting in towns. It thrives satisfactorily in many of our largest centres of industry—to wit, London, Liverpool, Glasgow and Manchester.
The Horse Chestnut (Æsculus hippocastanum) may be seen in a fairly satisfactory way in many town parks, but only where it is not exposed to smoke and soot to any great extent. In confined spaces both it and the English Elm (Ulmus campestris) soon show signs of distress, the points of the branches gradually becoming unhealthy, and the trees dying off prematurely. Taking everything into consideration, neither of these trees can be recommended for planting in smoky districts. The Birch, Walnut, Hornbeam, and one or two kinds of Willow will succeed in the less smoky parts of a town; but they are not to be recommended for planting where the air is constantly impregnated with soot and dust.
The Mountain Ash, or Rowan Tree (Pyrus aucuparia) and Bird Cherry (Cerasus Padus) are both good town trees, and excellent examples of both may be seen in the back streets and slums of London.
Sophora japonica is well worthy of recommendation as a tree that is admirably suited for planting in towns. It is of large and rapid growth, with elegant dark green pinnate leaves. Being a native of China and Japan, it may not be perfectly hardy in the northern portions of the British Isles, but it succeeds well in Southern England, and thrives admirably in the most smoke-infested parts of London.
Thorns of various kinds succeed well in towns, but they must not be recommended for the most smoky and confined localities.
The Tansy-leaved Thorn (Cratægus tanacetifolia) is an excellent member of the family for town planting.
Shrubs
Of these there is rather a long list of kinds that are suitable for planting in smoky localities.
Evidently deciduous species possess an advantage over evergreen kinds in the total annual renewal of their leaves, and hence it follows that, as with trees, deciduous shrubs should have the preference.
The following list includes only such kinds as have been proved suitable for town planting:—
Osmanthus ilicifolius is one of the handsomest of evergreen shrubs, and also one of the few that succeed, in a satisfactory way, when subjected to the impurities of a town atmosphere. In the smokiest districts of both London and Liverpool it is unquestionably the best all-round shrub.
Ligustrum coriaceum is a fitting companion to the last, so far, at least, as its powers of withstanding the effects of an impure atmosphere are concerned. Being an evergreen, it is peculiarly well suited for planting in the town garden, where it grows with great freedom.
Olearia Hastii and O. macrodonta are excellent shrubs for the London garden.
Aucuba japonica.—This well-known evergreen shrub is of great value for planting in urban districts, it being able to do battle with a more than ordinary amount of atmospheric impurities. For this reason it has been largely planted in town squares and gardens, in the most crowded and densely populated parts.
Griselinia littoralis.—Although a little-known evergreen, this is well suited for town planting, experiments having proved it to be a most valuable addition to the limited number of shrubs suitable for such a place.
Hibiscus Syriacus is one of the few shrubs that can successfully battle with an impure atmosphere. It is a shrub which town residents should plant freely if they have a bit of ground that they want to look pretty.
The Warfaring Tree (Viburnum lantana) does not receive that amount of attention to which on its merits it is entitled. It succeeds well in some of the most filthy and smoky districts of our largest cities.
The Venetian Sumach (Rhus cotinus) is a much-neglected shrub, but for general usefulness it can hardly be surpassed. It is peculiarly suitable for planting in cities.
The Stag’s Horn Sumach (Rhus typhina) must, on no account, be omitted, as it is a shrub of curious appearance and one that thrives well in soot and dirt.
Leycesteria formosa is a capital town plant; this may also be said of the Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum)—indeed, too much praise can hardly be bestowed on these shrubs for planting in the town garden and shrubbery.
Skimmia japonica and the Snowy Mespilus (Amelanchier Botryapium), too, succeed well in smoke-infested districts; and the various kinds of Lilac—particularly the Common and Persian—have few equals as town shrubs.
In the Kentucky Coffee-Tree (Gymnocladus canadensis) and Bladder Senna (Colutea arborescens) will be found two most useful shrubs for the town garden.
Phillyrea Vilmoriniana, Forsythia viridissima, and the Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo) are all more or less suitable for town planting where the atmospheric conditions are not too seriously affected by smoke and dust.
The Double Furse (Ulex europæus florepleno) is one of our handsomest flowering-shrubs, and a good addition to the list of such as are suitable for planting in town gardens and squares.
The Spurge Laurel (Daphne laureola) grows freely in many a town garden—indeed, it is no uncommon thing to see large and well-balanced specimens where smoke and filth are the order of the day.
Cotoneasters of various kinds succeed well as town plants. Those to be particularly noted are C. frigida, C. Simonsii, and C. vulgaris.
Euonymus japonicus is another excellent shrub, being almost smoke-defying.
The double-flowered forms of Prunus sinensis and the equally ornamental P. triloba all succeed well as town plants; while the Almonds are quite as good.
Koelreuteria paniculata, the Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus), Weigelia rosea, W. amabilis, Deutzia scabra, the common Green Box, Gum Cistus (C. ladaniferus), Mahonia aquifolia, M. Bealii, and M. japonica are all more or less suitable for town gardens, but not for those in the most smoke-infested parts. The Japan Quince (Cydonia japonica), Hypericum Nepalense, and Euonymus radicans all do well when subjected to the town atmosphere.
Climbers
Of shrubs suitable for covering walls, trellises, and arbours, and able to resist the dire influences of smoke and soot, there are a few valuable and well-tried kinds.
The Virginian Creeper (Ampelopsis hederacea) has few equals as a town plant, thriving successfully in the midst of our busiest centres of industry. Many instances could be pointed out in which this handsome climber grows with the greatest freedom in the most impure and smoke-laden atmosphere.
The Common Ivy (Hedera helix) is, perhaps, the most valuable of all climbing plants for using in smoke-infested localities. In some of the courts near Ludgate Hill, a district of London that is by no means free from smoke and dust, the ivy climbs houses to a height of 60 ft., and surprises one by its fresh appearance in such localities.
The Evergreen, or Trumpet, Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) is another shrub of great merit for town planting, as it thrives well in confined spaces, and where the atmosphere is very impure.
Cratægus Pyracantha is a most valuable wall shrub for the town garden. It is of free growth, stands smoke well, and is one of the handsomest berry-bearing plants in cultivation.
Jasminum nudiflorum needs little description, as it is one of our handsomest wall-plants. For smoky districts it is invaluable, blooming freely when flowers are scarce, and seeming to heed but little the impurities of a town atmosphere.