MY SHRUBS * 85 



another species, O. atropurpurea, from the Cape, which may be a 

 trifle hardier. 



Olea is a genus of which I possess only the wild olive, O. europaa, 

 that flowers fragrantly and makes a beautiful little silvery tree, 

 and O. fragranSy a choice but tender treasure from Japan. My 

 plant has yet to offer its trifling but wonderfully sweet, butter- 

 coloured blossoms. It needs winter protection, and is worth it. 

 This race appears to be botanically muddled with Osmanthus. 



Olearia furnishes some very splendid additions to the shrub- 

 lover's garden ; indeed all the cultivated species are worth a place. 

 My handsome giant is O. macrodontUy which I figure in its full 

 splendour. The flower corymbs are innumerable, and cluster on 

 every bough ; the evergreen foliage is holly-like, and of a slaty- 

 blue green. This, I suppose, is the largest variety, though O. argo- 

 phylla is also a tremendous grower. Its foliage is handsome, its 

 flower of no account. The genus comes from Australia and New 

 Zealand, and O. nummular if olia — so called because its foliage does 

 not in the least resemble a money-wort — is a New Zealander of a 

 delightful habit and most distinctive bearing. It differs from the 

 others every way except in charm, and no better dwarf shrub will 

 be found for a corner of the rockery. From a height of 4000 feet 

 it comes. O. nitida, another New Zealander, is a neat bushy 

 variety with white flowers and shining, dark green foliage, and 

 O. stellulata is the most familiar garden variety — a delightful bush 

 from Tasmania. O. Haas tit will not have escaped your attention ; 

 but O. insignis is still very rare in cultivation. It has splendid 

 leathery foliage, with thick, white under-down and large daisy-like 

 flowers, borne singly on 6-inch stalks. It is hardy here, and of a 

 sturdy dwarf habit. O. Traversii is another very choice species of 



