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IBERIS, OE CANDYTUPT. 



[TIE gardening world raust look with no little interest at 

 the old-fashioned, neglected things that are, from time 

 to time, resuscitated from the oblivion into wliich caprice 

 or indifference has cast them. Tastes and prejudices in 

 floral matters will, perhaps, always vary and fluctuate 

 as fashions do; and if I may judge by the inquiries made after 

 many of our old-fashioned plants, as noticed in the Floea.l AVoeld 

 from time to time, a reaction is decidedly taking place in favour of 

 the old plants of our gardens. May I be allowed to make a few 

 remarks on some plants, about which as yet you have said nothing, 

 and on some of which you have not said enough. The Iberis is 

 amongst the latter. These plants, of which I. sempervirens may be 

 taken as a type, are in reality evergreen shrubs. I shall only 

 notice two or thre:; kinds, merely to show not only their beauty, 

 but their utility, even in the most refined parterres. 



To commence with I. sempervirens. This is, perhaps, one of the 

 freest flowering plants on earth — a very mountain of snow; a 

 thousand heads of bloom, of the most intense whiteness, would be 

 but a low computation on a well-managed specimen ; but it must be 

 managed — which is very simply done — so as to make it highly 

 ornamental in spring, and a beautiful object in mid-winter. The 

 plant, if left to itself, soon assumes a straggling, untidy kind of 

 habit ; to counteract which, and to render the plant worthy of any 

 place, an annual pruning is necessary. The moment the plant 

 begins to look seedy, take the shears and clip it closely over, and 

 reduce it to what size you choose, which may vary from one foot to 

 two, according to position and the effect desired. No plant bears 

 clipping better ; it soon forms a beautiful compact evergreen bush, 

 and in the latter character is as telling in mid-winter as its profuse 

 flowering is in spring. A score or so of this plant, systematically 

 planted, would lighten up the finest garden at a very early season, 

 if allowed to form a permanent part of the design. A nobleman's 

 gardener lately told me it was a beautiful plant, but of no use, as 

 he had always to life i.t before it had done blooming, to make room 

 for the geraniums, etc. "What a folly ! 



The next variety we shall notice is Iberis corlfoUa, or coris- 

 leaved. This plant has lately become deservedly popular, though it 

 is not new, having been introduced about 140 years ago ; it is, per- 

 haps, the finest of the tribe, decidedly shrubby, and should be well 

 stopped in when young, as the plant would otherwise become 

 straggling. Individually it is most beautiful, either as a pot plant 

 for exhibition, or a first-class plant for the border, but does not 

 bloom with the freedom of I. sempervirens, and therefore less adapted 

 for display as a grouping plant. 



The last plant of the tribe I shall notice is I. garrexiana ; and 

 looking at tlie plant in all particulars, we may say the last shall be 

 first, for lighting up the darkness and clothing the nakedness of our 

 flower-gardens in spring, flowering, as it does, even in the north of 



