S80 FLORA HISTORICA. 



the green-house to the balconies of the wealthy 

 and the casements of the cottagers, with a ra- 

 pidity that seems almost incredible in a plant 

 that produces only abortive flowers. It is now 

 found to be sufficiently hardy to stand the open 

 air during the winter, and consequently it is seen 

 as an undershrub in every pleasure ground, and 

 is become as common in the cottager's court as it 

 was familiar a few years back in the village win- 

 dows, f^ 



The native place of this plant is not yet ascer- 

 tained, but it is in all probability an accidental 

 variety of a Chinese plant, since it is commonly 

 cultivated in the gardens of China and Japan, 

 from whence it was procured by the late Sir 

 Joseph Banks, who presented it to the Royal 

 Gardens at Kew,inthe year 1790. 



In the garden the Hydrangea is likely to re- 

 tain a favourable attention, for when planted in 

 the foreground of taller shrubs, its profusion of 

 monstrous flowers, which continue in beauty for 

 a great length of time, must ever make it a de- 

 sirable ornament. We have sometimes seen it 

 planted on lawns, and growing to an incredible 

 size, producing a fine foliage intermixed with 

 cymes of flowers of extraordinary beauty. 



The colour of these flowers is green when 

 young, but turns to a beautiful rose-colour when 



