Subtropical Gardening. 57 



fection in all parts of these islands without any trouble beyond 

 planting in good and deep soilj and with some deepening and 

 " making" of the soil in poor and very shallow ones. 



A most satisfactory result may be produced by associating these 

 Tritomas with the Pampas and the two Arundos, the large Statice 

 latifolia and the strong and beautiful autumn flowering Anemone 

 japonica alba (See Fig. 19). This is peculiarly suited for association 

 with hardy herbaceous plants of fine habit, and should be in every 

 garden where a hardy flower is valued. 



Verbascum vernale. — Most of us know how very distinct 

 and imposing are the larger verbascums, and those who have 

 attempted their culture must soon have found out what transient 

 far-seeding things they are. Of a biennial character, their culture 

 is most unsatisfactory : they either migrate into the adjoining shrub- 

 bery or disappear altogether. The possession of a thoroughly noble 

 perennial one must therefore be a desideratum, and such a plant 

 will be found in the Hungarian Verbascum vernale. This is fine 

 in leaf and stature, and produces abundance of flowers. The 

 lower leaves grow eighteen or twenty inches long, and the plant 

 when in flower to a height of seven or eight feet, or even more when 

 in good soil. It is a truly distinct subject for helping us to vary 

 matters, and may, it is to be hoped, ere long be to be had in our 

 gardens and nurseries. It is a scarce plant in England, and perhaps 

 not as yet to be had in many of our nurseries or botanic gardens, 

 though it is certainly the best plant of the genus as known to us in 

 gardens. I first saw it in the Jardin des Plantes. 



The Yuccas. — Among all the hardy plants ever introduced to 

 this country, none surpass for our present purpose the various 

 kinds of Yucca, or "Adam's Needle," as it is sometimes called. 

 There are several species hardy and well suited for flower garden 

 purposes, and, more advantageous still, distinct from each other. 

 The efl^ect afibrded by them, when well developed, is equal to that 

 of any hothouse plant that we can venture in the open air for the 



