150 ORNAMENTAL GARDENING 



generally do well throughout the state and here they grow finely 

 but are shy about blooming. At Rockledge P. tobira blossoms 

 abundantly. P. tobira variegata is prettily marked with creamy 

 white; P. viridiflorum is a rank grower; P. undulatum has wavy 

 leaves. 



Plumbago. A few species of fine, straggling shrubs of which 

 two are in common cultivation, P. capensis, a lovely pale blue 

 flowered plant, and its variety alba with white bloom. Both 

 are hardy and do well in pine land. P. rosea has charming rosy 

 red flowers but is considerably more tender. P. larpenlae with 

 vivid blue flowers is now called Ceratostigma. It has not suc- 

 ceeded with me. 



Raphiolepis ovata is a slow grower with heavy, glossy, obovate 

 leaves and pretty pinkish white flowers. R. indica has smaller, 

 narrower leaves and pinkish or reddish blossoms ; both are hardy 

 and are doing well for me. 



Rondeletia odorata is an exquisite shrub from the West Indies. 

 I have a plant which has had a hard time of it. I first planted 

 it out in the sun and it didn't do well; then I was told by Mr. 

 Theodore Mead of Oviedo to put in it the shade, which I did 

 and it began to grow. Twice it has been scratched up by chick- 

 ens and once it was accidentally buried and lost for awhile. Then 

 it was cut down with frost; later it fell into innocuous desuetude, 

 probably from too much shade. Two years ago I was over in 

 Cuba and saw it growing there in a most exposed place on the 

 high bank of a small river in the blazing sun. I came home and 

 cleared away around my plant and now it is looking fine and is 

 in bloom. I think it will do well now for it seems to me it has 

 met with and overcome all the calamities, and that its pathway 

 should now be bright and shining. It has fine oval leaves in 

 pairs and verbena-like heads of orange scarlet flowers with a 

 yellow eye. 



Rosa, the Rose. I do not think one can honestly say that 

 roses are perfectly at home in Florida, certainly not in the way 

 they are on the western coast of the United States. Roses 

 prefer a strong soil, rich, well-drained clayey loam being prefer- 

 able, and they should be sheltered from high winds. They also 

 need plenty of water and if one attempts to grow them on high 



