of that nature, but it is not essential. A loamy medium can,
by adding leaf-mould and, if necessary, sand, be made to suit all the
Heaths, and some, such as _E. cinerea_ and _E. mediterranea_, are quite
at home on a calcareous soil. Choose positions for them well exposed to
the sun, with, if possible, a cool, moist bottom. The ways of planting
vary, of course, according to the character of the species and varieties
selected. The rather free-growing and taller Heaths, like _lusitanica_
and _arborea_, may be planted in informal groups on sloping banks, or
more sparsely with a dwarfer species like _E. carnea_ as the groundwork.
_E. lusitanica_ and _E. arborea_, being somewhat tender, are only seen
at their best in the south and west, but beautiful effects have been got
by planting them in irregular and scattered groups on grassy slopes. The
natural grouping of Gorse and Broom suggests a way of using the many
beautiful Heaths.

_E. mediterranea_ and its varieties, a beautiful group, and much hardier
than the two species just mentioned, have flowers of shades of purple
and white. Delightful effects are possible when they are planted in
bold, informal groups, especially on sloping banks or ground, their
flowers appearing over a period of ten or twelve weeks. Dwarf Heaths,
like _E. carnea_, _c. alba_, _cinerea_, &c., may be used as edgings to
beds of heathy plants. I am indebted to Mr. Bean for the following
excellent notes about the Heaths, and the reason this group has a
chapter to itself is to encourage a greater use of shrubs, strangely
neglected in English gardens. The beauty of Heath in bloom appeals to
poet and painter. Moorlands surfaced with colour, hill upon hill of
softened shades fading away in the distance, are pleasant
memories--pictures beautiful enough, we should have thought, to tempt
the planter of the English garden to reproduce in a small way in the
homelands. I hope this chapter will do something to make the beautiful
wild Heaths and their varieties welcome in rough, peaty grounds and
banks, and the many other places where they would be as happy as on
their native moors and hillsides.

THE TALLER OR TREE-LIKE HEATHS

_Erica arborea._--This is the most remarkable of all the hardy Heaths;
it grows to quite a small tree. In the Isle of Wight, and doubtless
elsewhere, it has been known to grow 30 feet high, with a trunk 39
inches in circumference. It is found wild in considerable abundance
along the Medi