SUBTROPICAL GARDEN. 225 



and given very deep and good soil either natural or made. 

 The soils of very many gardens are insufficient to give it 

 the highest degree of strength and vigour, and no plant 

 hetter repays for a thorough preparation, which ought to 

 he the more freely given when it is considered that the one 

 preparation suffices for many years. If convenient, give it a 

 somewhat sheltered position in the flower garden, so as to 

 prevent as much as possible that ceaseless searing away of 

 the foliage which occurs wherever the plant is much ex- 

 posed to the breeze. We rarely see such fine specimens as 

 in quiet nooks where it is pretty well sheltered by the 

 surrounding vegetation. It is very striking to come upon 

 noble specimens in such quiet green nooks ; but, as before 

 hinted, to leave such a magnificent plant out of the flower 

 garden proper is a decided mistake. 



Helianthus orgyalis. — They use this in some parts of 

 the Continent as an ornamental-leaved plant in the pleasure 

 ground, &c. It is as hardy as the common dandelion, 

 grows to a considerable 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 

 requiring 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. 



The Heracleums.— These are pretty well known for the 

 rapid vigour and great size of their herbaceous vegetation ; 

 but they are as a rule too coarse, and decay too early in 

 summer, to be used in the flower garden or pleasure ground. 

 They may, however, be employed with advantage where a 

 robust and picturesque vegetation is desired in half wild 

 spots on islands, and for furnishing distant effects. 



Hibiscus roseus.— This is a very noble hardy perennial, 

 growing from four to six feet high about Paris, and having 



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