Abutilon vexillarium.—Rio Grande. A handsome evergreen species generally grown against a wall. It throws up long, slender, arching shoots from 6 to 8 feet in length, studded with pendulous ball-shaped flowers with crimson sepals, yellow petals, and dark-brown stamens which are very striking and often remain in bloom for six months. Common. A. vitifolium—Chili. A most ornamental evergreen shrub of which there are two forms, one bearing lavender flowers, the other white. In exceptional cases it attains a height of 20 feet, and when covered with its large blossoms, which are about 3 inches in diameter, and feathered to the ground with foliage, it presents a lovely picture. Large specimens form pyramids of bloom, and in some gardens numbers of these are to be found. Wall protection unnecessary.
Acacias.—Australia. In Cornish and South Devon gardens many species are to be met with in robust health. A. affinis, very generally confounded with A. dealbata, is the most common. In many cases A. affinis is grown as A. dealbata. The leaves of the former are green, while those of the latter are bluish and its flowers are less bright in colour. A group of A. affinis about 35 feet in height was a wonderful sight at Tregothnan at the end of March, being simply covered with golden blossom which was thrown into high relief by a background of Ilexes. A. verticillata is another handsome species flowering later in the spring. It is a very rapid grower, reaching a height of 15 feet in a few years, generally growing in the form of a broad-based cone, with its lower branches but a foot or so from the ground. When in flower it is so covered with its pale-yellow blossoms that no foliage is discernible. A. armata may be seen as a bush 7 feet high and as much in diameter. A. ovata Mr. Fitzherbert has only seen as a bush some 3 feet high; very pretty when bearing its circular, golden flower-bells. A. longifolia is another handsome tree, with leaves something like those of an Oleander and bright-yellow flowers. A. melanoxylon is a fine tree. The specimen at Tresco is about 50 feet in height, and there are good examples on the mainland. Pale-yellow flowers produced in profusion. Other species met with are A. riceana, A. (Albizzia) lophantha, A. calamifolia, A. linifolia, A. latifolia, and A. platyptera, the latter against a wall.
Adenandra fragrans.—Cape of Good Hope. A small evergreen shrub, bearing fragrant, rose-coloured flowers. Tregothnan.
Anopterus glandulosa.—Tasmania. A vigorous evergreen shrub, with dark, shining green leaves, bearing long, erect terminal racemes of white, cup-shaped flowers, resembling the blooms of Clethra arborea, but larger. Tregothnan.
Acanthopanax spinosum.—Garden seedling. A striking plant with dark-green, large-sized leaves divided into five sections. Height at present 5 feet. Tregothnan.
Aster (Olearia) argophyllus.—Australia. The Silver Musk tree, with musk-scented leaves and dull-red flowers in summer. Three gardens. Height 12 feet.
Athrotaxis laxifolia.—Tasmania. A tender Conifer. A fine example, 20 feet in height, fruited profusely at Menabilly two years ago.
Banksia grandis.—Australia. Evergreen shrub, bearing yellow flowers in dense spikes. B. serrata, red flowers, and B. littoralis. All at Tresco. B. quercifolia, handsome leaves, with white reverse. Abbotsbury. Banksias were at one time in request as greenhouse plants.
Bauera rubioides.—New South Wales. A pretty little evergreen shrub not unlike a Heath, but more branching, bearing solitary, pink, saucer-shaped flowers half an inch across, each petal striped with white down the centre.
Benthamia (Cornus capitata) fragifera.—Nepaul. A handsome, evergreen tree, first introduced into England in 1825, when seed was sown at Heligan, Cornwall, and where there are now specimens some 60 feet in height. It is largely represented throughout Cornwall, being used in some places as a woodland tree. In June, when the leafage is hidden by the wide-spread, platter-like flowers of pale yellow, its effect is very beautiful, especially when thrown up by a background of green foliage. In the autumn the fruits, from which it takes its name of Strawberry tree, some an inch or more in diameter, become bright crimson.