. MY SHRUBS 91 



seen in prosperity. I have flowered it, and, on better plants than 

 mine, admired a dozen of the red bells hanging together in the 

 crisp, dark green foliage. Probably moisture, and plenty of it, is 

 necessary, with a soil free from lime. The best piece that I have 

 seen a respectable bush prospered in full sunshine, though 

 some experts advocate half shade. 



Phillyrea decora, the Jasmine Box, is a hardy evergreen with 

 pretty pointed foliage and a small, white spring inflorescence of 

 great sweetness. It prospers in half shade in peat with me, though 

 is not, I fancy, particular. Other species of this South European 

 shrub are equally satisfactory and easy, but I know not if they 

 possess the same fine fragrance. 



Phlomis fruticosa, the Jerusalem Sage, is an old favourite from 

 the Mediterranean, whose hoary foliage and dusky yellow whorls 

 of flowers remind me of childhood. Then I was wont to pluck 

 the trumpets for the honey drop at the bottom of them. A hardy 

 shrub is this, and a great grower in some hot rough corner. 



Photinia serrulata is a handsome Chinese tree, and here it attains 

 to full size and makes a splendid specimen ; but much room is 

 needed for this beautiful flowering evergreen, and I am on visiting 

 terms with some excellent examples, so need it not. 



Phylica is a South African, with most distinctive dusky green 

 and silver grey foliage. The inflorescence is trifling, but the habit 

 most handsome and striking. The species are two: P. buxifolia 

 and P. ericoides. I have seen Phylica happy in Cornwall, but it 

 is not hardy, and at Kew a temperate house harbours this fine 

 thing. 



Physianthus albens is a climber from Brazil, hardy in our sheltered 

 nooks by the sea. It attains to great size when prosperous, and 



