SOME OF THE SUMMER FLOWERS OF MY GARDEN. 328 



to succeed. This, however, has at last been promised to me, and 

 I set very great store on the promise. From some reason or 

 another, whenever suckers come up with this Rose — and also with 

 some other things — they are quite sure to be hardy. I believe it 

 can stand many degrees of frost, but I did not think so once. 



The rest of my summer favourites must be little more than 

 mere names with me on this occasion. There is just one, however, 

 that I cannot altogether pass by, because, though I must confess it 

 cannot be called a hardy plant, is very closely connected in my 

 mind with an old friend who was to have spoken to you to-day if 

 he had not been called away from us, to our very great regret — I 

 allude to the late Mr. Rawson. I have had the most minute 

 directions from him as to the manner in which Cliantlms 

 Dampieri must be grown. Suffice it to say, on the old lines one 

 must almost have lived for Clianthus Dampieri if it was to do 

 well at all. The game was not worth the candle, but now there 

 is no trouble with it at all. Grafted upon G.puniceus, this most 

 gorgeous of all Australian plants, and I suppose inferior in point 

 of splendour to very few things on the face of earth, will live 

 and grow and blossom to the astonishment of all beholders, 

 and be a sight to see which is not easily forgotten. It does 

 well either in greenhouse or in open ground during the summer 

 months, and is very much admired by those who have met 

 with it. Ranunculus Lyalli I have in two or three places, 

 and it quite responds to my treatment of it, which is of 

 the simplest description. OstroivsJcya magnifica, according to 

 Max Leichtlin, should be dried off in summer. I manage it in 

 that way. Pczonia Wittmanniana should never be absent from 

 any garden, however small it may be, so very grand is its dis- 

 play. Mandevillea suaveolens and Poinciana Gilliesii are both 

 hardy here ; but I am sure I have now said enough, and more 

 than enough, about the summer flowers of my garden. I have 

 by no manner of means exhausted their number. I only fear 

 that I have exhausted your patience and time. The Pseonies for 

 the most part, the Delphiniums altogether, the Dianthuses, the 

 Funkias, the Anthericums, the Ramondias, and I wot not what 

 else besides, must bear to be passed over by me in silence on the 

 present occasion. I would only add one short word in conclud- 

 ing. There are some plants which not infrequently obtain a 

 foothold among us which, in my judgment, should never have a 



