86 
TENDER PLANTS THAT WILL THRIVE IN A SHELTERED BORDER. 
the finest exotics to a degree of splendour which persons of the amplest means can 
only rival by similar treatment. For all classes, in short, and for every pleasure- 
garden in which a suitable border exists, it is an inestimable ornament. 
Eucomis punctata is the next plant on which we have a few remarks to offer. 
It is sometimes, but not often, admitted permanently to a stove ; and a greenhouse, 
or frame, is, we believe, almost invariably considered indispensable for its conserva- 
tion. In these situations, it is valued chiefly for its neatly spotted leaves, and the 
astonishing profusion and duration of its blossoms, which are not in themselves 
particularly interesting, being of a greenish ground, with a few small purple 
blotches. About the month of October, 1839, chancing to call at Bury Hill, the 
residence of R. Barclay, Esq., near Dorking, we saw an enormous specimen of this 
species in a border of the description referred to throughout the present paper, 
and it had then numerous spikes of flowers, which had been expanded for a 
considerable previous period. The remarkable exuberance, health, and beauty of 
the specimen, gave us quite a new idea of the species altogether, and impressed us 
with the conviction, to which we still avow our adherence, that it is one of the 
handsomest summer and autumn plants which have ever decorated our borders. 
The absence of much colour in the flowers may appear like a defect to those who 
are fond of a great glare of gorgeous hues ; but, if duly associated with plants of 
that character, its modest and simple charms will afford a relief rather than an 
objection. As with the Erythrina above mentioned, it has no protection through 
the winter save a mulching of some dry material, and flowers, year after year, with 
increasing vigour. 
At the same place, the pretty species of Nerine are grown in a like manner, and 
there is no occasion to renew them annually by importations from the Channel 
Islands, as in the majority of cases. They grow strongly, and flower in the greatest 
beauty, giving a very lively aspect to the border when they are all in blossom. It 
will be prudent to mix a little more sand with the soil in which they are planted 
than is demanded for fibrous-rooted herbaceous plants or shrubs, lest there should 
be any difficulty in causing their foliage to wither at the proper season. 
Four or five years since, a plant appeared in the London nurseries, and in 
common with many other Mexican and South American species, the district from 
which it was brought not being correctly known, it was judged advisable to keep 
it in the stove. This was Mentzelia stipitata. It developed sparingly its interesting 
orange-coloured flow*ers, and seemed decidedly shrubby; but always looked sickly, 
and neither grew freely nor bloomed well. Since that time, it has been tried in the 
open border, and constitutes a singularly neat and healthy bush during summer, 
bearing great numbers of flowers throughout the entire season. If placed in the 
sort of border which we all along have in view, we believe it will assume the habit 
heretofore ascribed to Erythrina, losing its stems in the autumn, to be replaced on the 
advancement of spring. The smallest shelter, of the kind already suggested for 
Erythrina , will suffice to preserve it from frost. It deserves to be cultivated for 
