80 



hardier than Hydrangea hortensis, a beautiful plant which 

 does not survive hard winters here. This latter variety is best 

 grown in large tubs, which can be put into any dry and close 

 building for protection during severe weather. 



One of the rarest specimens in this garden is a tall plant 

 of Andromeda ovalifolia, an evergreen shrub which bears 

 bunches of flowers like Lily of the Valley in the spring ; there 

 are also several plants of the smaller kinds A. floribunda and 

 A. Japonica, both of which are spring flowering shrubs with 

 similar flowers. These belong to the class of plants which 

 require peat beds in many cases before they can be grown 

 successfully ; a great advantage in this garden and the sur- 

 rounding woods in relation to these plants is the absence of 

 lime in the soil, so-called American or peat loving plants 

 can be grown here without any special preparation of the site. 



Another rare plant here is Eucryphia pinnatifolia, a native 

 of Chili ; the specimen just below the pergola is probably the 

 finest one in England ; it is 1 3 J feet high and 9 feet in diameter. 

 It bears a profusion of large white flowers in August, which 

 are similar in size and formation to Hypericum calycinum 

 often called Rose of Sharon. The latter is a dwarf plant how- 

 ever, and is valuable for covering woodland banks and semi 

 shaded places where it can run about as it likes. 



A fine plant of Viburnum plicatum grows just below the 

 above. This bears an enormous quantity of flowers every year 

 (see plate XVIH). It is better than our common guelder rose 

 for many purposes, as it does not grow so rapidly and has 

 very pretty foliage in the autumn, the flowers are also much 

 whiter than the common variety. It is a native of Japan, and 



