54 BRITISH PLANTS. 



BRITISH PLANTS: 



WITH OBSERVATIONS ON THEIR CULTURE. 



In the January Number of the Floricultural Cabinet, a paper 

 bearing the above title appears from the pen of our esteemed correspon- 

 dent, W. Johnstone, Esq., Ballikilbeg House, and we are glad that 

 attention has been directed to the subject, for it is an interesting one 

 to the florist. The British Flora is one rich in beauties, yet we find 

 few native gems in the garden parterres, and even little taste appears 

 displayed in the selection of these few ; in fact, in many instances, 

 they seem to have been chosen at random without any regard to their 

 suitableness for garden ornament. There are many of our British 

 plants peculiarly well suited for giving gaiety to the flower border, 

 both on account of their intrinsic beauty and neat habit ; but they 

 appear to have been entirely overlooked throughout the whole history 

 of floriculture, in the eager desire for foreign novelties. We are by 

 no means ungrateful to those florists who have enriched our gardens 

 with the showy flowers of other climes ; only, we regret that the en- 

 thusiasm for these, should be the means of excluding our native 

 favourites ; we regret that many of the most beautiful floral gems 

 of our own' country are allowed to bloom and die uncared for on the 

 mountain side, and on the banks of the murmuring rivulet far from the 

 homes of men ; we regret that, in the present far advanced state of 

 floral art, the sentiment expressed by the poet in the following lines, is, 

 in regard to British flowers, as true as that day they flowed from his 



pen : — 



" Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, 

 And waste its sweetness on the desert air." 



Yes, many a fair and fragrant flower blooms unseen, and diffuses its 

 delicious fragrance unfelt, wliile it might be tending to the happiness 

 of mankind ; while it might be warming our hearts with its own 

 beauty, as well as by its holy and sacred associations, for, as has been 



happily sung, — 



" A flower is not a flower alone, 

 A thousand sanctities invest it ; 

 And as they form a radiant zone. 

 Around its simple beauty thrown, 

 Their magic tints become its own, 

 As if their spirits had possess'd it." 



And this sentiment of the poet is peculiarly applicable to the children 

 of our own woods and wilds, for many of them are invested with the 

 sweetest and most endearing associations, the purest thoughts and the 

 holiest feelings. 



It is presumed unnecessary here to urge the beauty of our native 

 wildlings ; that has never been disputed. On the contrary we find 

 them extolled and eulogised alike by botanist, florist, and poet, more 

 than ever were the productions of tropical climes. And we sin- 

 cerely hope that amateurs, and not amateurs alone, but likewise 

 gardeners, will take up in real earnest the cause of the neglected 

 native gems, and transfer many of them from their woodland homes to 

 the garden border and there cultivate them with care and assuidity. 



