xii Preface. 



grows about three score specimens of this very orna- 

 mental evergreen ; of which many bear flower every 

 winter, though each individual plant seems to take a 

 year of rest without blooming. 



For many years, the showy lily Imatophyllum, 

 which blooms in winter and early spring, has 

 thriven in my dwelling-house without conservatory ; 

 and in a sheltered area in front of the same house, in 

 Mount-street, a plant of a small "genus named Charl- 

 woodia, which authorities call a beautiful stove plant, 

 is now in vigorous health after living three years out 

 of doors. It is about nine feet high, and is the first 

 specimen which has ever been tried out all the year 

 in this kingdom. 



Amongst showy plants, whose fitness for our city 

 life I believe I had the pleasure of being the first to 

 prove, are some of the kindred genus Cordyline ; 

 and if the lovely twining under-shrub Lapageria 

 rosea, which I again mention as called after the 

 maiden name of the Empress Josephine, prove as 

 hardy and fit for even town culture as recent experi- 

 ments promise, I think I have many friends who 

 would consider this little book worth publishing, 

 were it only to invite special attention to these, and a 

 few other plants not yet common amongst us. 



