Subtropical Gardening. 47 



Continent as an ornamental-leaved plant in the pleasure ground, 

 &c. It is as hardy as the common dandelion, grows to a consider- 

 able height, and is of a very distinct habit. Its distinction arises 

 from the fact that the leaves are recurved in a peculiarly graceful 

 manner. At the top of the shoots indeed their aspect is most 

 striking, from springing up in great profusion and then bending 

 gracefully down. It will form a capital subject for the group of 

 fine-leaved, hardy plants, not running through the ground and re- 

 quiring all the room for itself to spread about. As it is apt to come 

 up rather thickly the cultivator will act judiciously by thinning out 

 the shoots when very young, so that those which remain may prove 

 the stronger and the better furnished with leaves. 



HIBISCUS ROSEUS. This is a very noble hardy perennial, grow- 

 ing from four to six feet high about Paris, and having the upper 

 part of each of its abundant shoots set thickly with buds which 

 produce flowers fully six inches across, of a showy rose, with straight 

 deeply coloured veins running from the rich dark crimson base of 

 the petals, and gradually becoming lost towards the margin. There 

 is reason to think it thoroughly hardy, and it is well worth a trial in 

 good soil in the southern and milder parts of England and Ireland. 

 The show it makes in autumn is really very fine, and it will probably 

 be found a grand thing for association with noble autumn flowers, 

 like the Tritoma and Pampas grass. As regards leaf effect, it is 

 scarcely subtropical to use again that awkward term and should 

 perhaps be classed with showy herbaceous plants j but as it was used 

 with pretty good effect in one of the Paris parks, I name it here. 

 It should have a warm position, and deep, rich, and light soil. 



MACLEAYA CORDATA. This is a fine plant in free soil, but com* 

 paratively poor in that which is bad or very stiff. It is quite distinct in 

 habit and tone, and sometimes goes beyond six feet high. The flowers 

 are not in themselves pretty, but the inflorescence when the plant 

 is well grown has a distinct and pleasing appearance. It will prove 

 a good thing for associating with other fine hardy plants suitable 



