Ivy is an evergreen climber that either creeps along the ground or climbs up rocks, trees and walls, to which it holds fast with its roots. However, it is by no means,a parasite and takes neither water nor nutrients from the host plant. It may live to an age of several hundred years, the stem becoming up to 20 cm thick. Unlike other European trees and shrubs it bears flowers at the beginning of October, and the fruits ripen the following spring, in March. The berries contain 3-5 pale, furrowed seeds, which are dispersed in the droppings of birds.
This shrub is a native of the Alps, mainly the eastern part, its range extending westward only to Switzerland. It grows from 1200-2500 m in open woodlands and the dwarf pine belt. It is more plentiful on limestone and dolomite slopes. It is a popular shrub for rock gardens, parks and gardens. Also found in the Alps is the closely related species Rhododendron ferrugineum L., which grows farther west, to the French Alps and the Pyrenees, and unlike R. hirsutum has no preference for calcareous soils, growing above the tree line in stands of dwarf pine on siliceous soil. It attains a height of 1 m; the leaves are densely covered with rust-coloured hairs below and the flowers are a darker, pinkish red.
When planted in gardens both these rhododendrons should be provided with a moist soil rich in humus. The large-flowered and taller species, 2-4 m high, developed by the crossing of American and Chinese rhododendrons, are generally cultivated in parks and gardens.
The red dogwood is a shrub growing to a height of 3-5 m. One-year shoots are purplish-red on the side exposed to the sun and green on the shaded side. The buds are flat and appressed. The white flowers appear at the end of May and the fruits ripen in September. It sprouts freely from stumps and roots. It is best propagated by means of seeds; these, however, do not germinate until the spring of the second year.
This species is widespread in southern, central, western and eastern Europe, extending north to the Baltic Sea. It thrives well on rich, calcareous soils and is most abundant in lowlands in the valleys of rivers and streams though it is also found in the foothills up to heights of 600-700 m. It appears to thrive quite well even in drier soils as evidenced by its occurrence in drier situations in oak stands. A shade-tolerant species, it is found not only on the edges of woods and in hedgerows, but also in mixed broadleaved woods.
It is readily propagated by means of seeds and winter cuttings. Because it stands up well to clipping, L. vulgare is a popular plant for hedges growing up to 2 m high, but, once widely used, has now been almost completely replaced for this purpose by the Japanese privet, L. oz;alifolium. In parks it is planted in shrubbery borders and as a shrub layer beneath groups of trees.
This shrub is a native of the Alps, mainly the eastern part, its range extending westward only to Switzerland. It grows from 1200-2500 m in open woodlands and the dwarf pine belt. It is more plentiful on limestone and dolomite slopes. It is a popular shrub for rock gardens, parks and gardens. Also found in the Alps is the closely related species Rhododendron ferrugineum L., which grows farther west, to the French Alps and the Pyrenees, and unlike R. hirsutum has no preference for calcareous soils, growing above the tree line in stands of dwarf pine on siliceous soil. It attains a height of 1 m; the leaves are densely covered with rust-coloured hairs below and the flowers are a darker, pinkish red.
When planted in gardens both these rhododendrons should be provided with a moist soil rich in humus. The large-flowered and taller species, 2-4 m high, developed by the crossing of American and Chinese rhododendrons, are generally cultivated in parks and gardens.
The red dogwood is a shrub growing to a height of 3-5 m. One-year shoots are purplish-red on the side exposed to the sun and green on the shaded side. The buds are flat and appressed. The white flowers appear at the end of May and the fruits ripen in September. It sprouts freely from stumps and roots. It is best propagated by means of seeds; these, however, do not germinate until the spring of the second year.
This species is widespread in southern, central, western and eastern Europe, extending north to the Baltic Sea. It thrives well on rich, calcareous soils and is most abundant in lowlands in the valleys of rivers and streams though it is also found in the foothills up to heights of 600-700 m. It appears to thrive quite well even in drier soils as evidenced by its occurrence in drier situations in oak stands. A shade-tolerant species, it is found not only on the edges of woods and in hedgerows, but also in mixed broadleaved woods.
It is readily propagated by means of seeds and winter cuttings. Because it stands up well to clipping, L. vulgare is a popular plant for hedges growing up to 2 m high, but, once widely used, has now been almost completely replaced for this purpose by the Japanese privet, L. oz;alifolium. In parks it is planted in shrubbery borders and as a shrub layer beneath groups of trees.
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In garden planning, where the garden roof is strong enough to support the weight of topsoil and underlying drainage, the sight of a lawn outside the living room in a modern apartment can be very striking.
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