292 A HISTORY OF GARDENING IN ENGLAND 



number of Heaths from South Africa were grown. Over 200 



species were described by Andrews.^ Loudon says, m 1830, 

 that over 400 had been introduced, " the greater part by 

 Masson, a collector who made two voyages to Africa at the 

 King's [George III.] expense." Some of these had been lost, 

 owing to the difficulty of their propagation, but " upwards of 

 250 sorts " were still to be obtained from nurserymen. In 1841 

 Hugh Low and Co., advertising in The Gardener s Chronicle, 

 offered 118 varieties for sale. All of these were largely grown, 

 until plants more easy of culture than these hard-wooded 

 things crowded them out. Geraniums were very much in 

 favour. Fuchsias were extremely popular, and Camellias re- 

 ceived a large share of attention. The new importations from 

 Australia, or " New Holland " plants, were thus sometimes 

 grown apart — Acacias, Mimosa, Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, Metro- 

 sideros, Boronia, and so on. Cacti, Aloes, Mesembryanthemums, 

 Crassulas, and other succulents were also largely grown. Soon, 

 however, the green-houses and stoves became so overstocked 

 that a new method of showing off tender plants came into 

 fashion. This system, called " bedding out," remained practic- 

 ally unchallenged from about 1820 to 1880. The brilliant flowers 

 from tropical climes so much outshone some of the hardier 

 ones that former generations had delighted in, that they were 

 pushed on one side to make way for the new-comers. The 

 smooth undulations of grass which the landscape school had 

 pronounced the correct kind of " garden " to surround a house 

 were straightway cut up by flower-beds, either dotted about 

 or arranged in some geometrical pattern. Round and square 

 beds alternately, or diamond or octagon, or some of a more 

 fantastic shape, were placed anyhow on the grass, or in a circle 

 or fan in front of the windows, or on either side of the gravel 

 walks, and ribbon borders, with twists and cable patterns, 

 generally formed part of the plan. Instead of " forthrights 

 and allies," or " elegant lawns, groves, and clumps," the Vic- 

 torian garden designer spoke of " flower plots," " dressed 

 pleasure grounds," and extensive " and highly diversified 

 shrubberies,"^ while the " approach " between Laurels and 



^ The Heathery, by Henry Andrews. 6 vols., 1804-14. 



' How to Lay out a Garden, by Edward Kemp. Third edition, 1864. 



