IJ4 



IRTSTT HAKDEXIXG 



iSince then I liave added at various times, even 

 during juid-siunnier. and have not liad a single 

 faihn-e. Finn planting, and always a shade 

 lielow what had been the level, produces the 

 hest results. Water, if it has to be given in 

 very dry weather, must be given generously. 



The Howoring season begins for us with 

 Eriea 'Slvd. li>l)ri(la. wliich opens in early 

 January, but joi- mouths previous this variety 

 and E. earnea are very beautiful, with their 

 fine foliage and masses of yellowish buds. 

 Tliey run each other close in point of time, and 

 are always far ahead of the white form. 



We have here the old pink-flowered earnea 

 which is not so often seen now as the newer 

 rose-coloured form, but is quite as pretty, only, 

 of course, it is important they should not be 

 planted near each other, thf)ugh either is all 

 right near E. Med. hybrida. Tlu^ white-fiowered 

 E. earnea is not nearly so robust ; it grows very 

 slowly and is very dwarf and compact, but 

 grown near the path where the eye can rest on 

 it it is very charming. 



I suppose E. lusitanica should come next, but 

 being a Uttle doubtful of its hardihood I 

 have not as yet included it ; however, there is 

 no blank, for E. earnea lasts so long that Men- 

 ziesia is opening its big bells before it disappears. 

 I think the wild variety of this, with its shorter, 

 lighter-coloured bells, comes in earlier and 

 lasts longer than the darker garden forms — at 

 least it does here — and often flowers to the 

 beginning of December. I planted it with E. 

 vagans on the highest ground, and with them 

 Veronica pinguifolia. Some of the varieties of 

 E. cinerea are very early. A fine, bright, rose- 

 coloured form, which I found growing wild, is 

 in before any other. It shows up well planted 

 near E. vagans, which comes into flowx^r about 

 the end of July. 



Menziesia bicolor is also an earlj^ and very 

 valuable variety, with its multi-coloured bells 

 ranging from deep purple to pure white on the 

 same jDlant. E. Tetralix, I believe, is often in 

 before it, and flowers at least twice during the 

 season. The white form of this is good, but 

 scarcely so pretty or waxy-looking as the pale 

 pink, 



A near relation of Tetralix is E. Watsoni ; 

 its habit is very j^leasing, and it grows most 

 freely, but it is much dwarf er than the cross - 

 leafed Heath and the bells much larger. 



On higher ground there is a good specimen 

 of the Cornish Heath, E. stricta ; its ujoright 

 habit and bright green foliage makes it very 

 distinct. I believe this variety should flower 

 early in August, but it is a newcomer here, and 

 planted early in July if started to grow instead 

 of putting up flower buds. 



E, ^raweana, which begins in August, is a 

 most precious thing ; the fine l)ells of good red- 

 ])ur]il(' and the dark-green, hairy foliage make 

 it Mil object of much admiration. I fancy it is 

 not quite so indilTerent to bitter winds and cold 

 as some of its neighbours, and that this is why 

 its winter coat is brownish and shabby looking. 



We boast three varieties of the white Ling, 

 E. vulgaris ; the earliest of these is E. v. gracile, 

 very pretty, with a tinge of blush in its white 

 bells; then the common white, which is often 

 seen on our own hills, and during late autumn 

 a splendid form. E. v. tojuentosa. I lu>ped 

 this would have flowered same time as E. 

 Alporti, the darkest both in flower and foliage, 

 but it was rather late. However, in E. aurea 

 we have the touch of lightness that brings out 

 the full beauty of Alporti ; its pink bells do not 

 make much show, but its golden fohage and 

 graceful habit are perfection. 



E. ciliaris alba is a real treasure. I believe 

 it is rather new, and here it flowered in mid- 

 Septembor last year, which puzzled me con- 

 siderably, but evidently it was the effect of 

 recent moving, as it was a newcomer. For this 

 season it promises to be very much earlier, and 

 now, at the end of June, is very forward. It 

 exceeded my highest expectations, and in colour 

 and freedom of growth leaves nothing to be 

 desired. 



So much for the varieties of Heath which add 

 no little interest and beauty to the garden 

 from January to Decemjaer. With them I 

 associated a few of the small shrubby Veronicas. 

 V. pinguifolia, about one foot high, white- 

 flowered ; V. piraelioides, also with very glaucous 

 foliage, but distinctly margined with red and 

 having blue flowers, much larger than those 

 of pinguifolia and borne on stems long enough 

 to be easily removed when faded, and thus 

 preventing the brown, untidy appearance of 

 pinguifoUa after flowering. V, Epaeridea I 

 have planted near E. Maweana, where its golden- 

 green foliage shows to the best advantage, and 

 we have not missed its flowers, which, I beUeve, 

 even in its own country, are sparingly pro- 

 duced. This characteristic it shares with V. 

 Hectori, which is pleasing and distinct, with its 

 green whixocord-like stems. The only other 

 shrubs I have ventured to add are Polygala 

 chamaebuxus and, in a very hot sandy spot. 

 Genista hispanica nana, the dw^arf Spanish furze, 

 a most interestiiig little subject, fiercely spiny 

 except when the fresh growth is formizig. It 

 lasts a long time in flower, and supplies a wel- 

 come touch of yellow early in the season, 



I have avoided planting Cistuses here, even of i 

 the smaller varieties, the flowers being of so | 

 completely different a tj'pe, and also I fancy i 



