80 GARDEN FLOWERS. 



The plants termed lavatera, are very similar 

 to the mallows in general appearance. There 

 are some showy annual species common iu 

 gardens, and the shrubby kinds are very 

 ornamental. The species which is most gene- 

 rally cultivated is the sea-side lavatera, {Lava- 

 tera maritima,) which is a native of Spain and. 

 the south of France, and will bear the open 

 air of this country if slightly guarded from 

 frost. The tree -mallow {Lavatera arhorea) has 

 a magnificent appearance when covered Avith 

 its large piu'ple rose-coloured floAvers. 



The beautiful deUcate flowers of the large 

 .number of exotic heaths are, during this and 

 the next month, unfolding their bells on their 

 brittle stems, and the greenhouse is quite gay 

 with their flowers. They are, with few excep- 

 tions, natives of the Cape of Good Hope, where 

 they grow chiefly on the tops and sides of 

 mountains, and in the crevices of rocks. This 

 genus of flowers is quite of modern introduction 

 into this coimtry. Miller, in 1768, enumerates 

 but five species. They are now very numerous. 

 •' Till the latter end of last century," says 

 Loudon, " this genus consisted of three or four 

 humble British shrubs, and the heath of Spain, 

 {Erica Afediterranea,) a slow-growing tree ; but 

 when the Cape of Good Hope fell into the 

 hands of the British, collectors were sent out, 

 and soon brought to light some hundreds of 

 species. It may serve as an easily recollected 

 date, to say, that all of them were sent home 

 during the reign of George in. Some of the 



