SUB-TEOPICAIi GARDENING. 49 



should be so chosen for the tenderer species, that they may 

 be shaded during a portion of the day by some friendly 

 tree, and sheltered from cutting winds and draughts by, 

 some neighbouring shrubbery of laurels or similar plants, 

 and which are usually to be found in a pleasure garden. 

 These, in addition to the shelter they afford, add mate- 

 rially to the effect in forming a background, by which 

 the varied tints and forms of the sub-tropical plants are 

 more conspicuously displayed. 



In addition to the isolated specimens jotted about upon 

 the lawn and various places, by taking advantage of 

 curved or undulating lines of shrubberies, some exceed- 

 ingly effective miniature glades may be formed, always 

 bearing in mind, wherever a more than ordinary snug 

 and shady corner occurs, to place the tenderest and most 

 shade-loving plants, such as Areea hitescens, Bichsofiia 

 anta/reUca, Gyathea dealbata, AlsopMla australis, Tham/nop- 

 teris australadca, or similar things. In planting sub- 

 tropical plants, the very opposite rule must be observed 

 to that of planting ." soft-wooded flowering " plants : in 

 the latter case, symmetry and regularity is essential to 

 produce a good effect : in the former, natural grace and 

 distinctive characters are the leading charms, and these 

 will be entirely lost, if straight lines and formal designs 

 are attempted with the majority of them. 



