The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-04-18
SOJOURNER IN LAKELAND
WRITES OF PLANTS THAT
WOULD THRIVE HERE
To the Editor of the Lakeland Even
ing Telegram:

ing Telegram:
S,r-If "Su gestions on Ornamen-
tai Plants may still find place in
your columns, let me call attention
to the advantage OF cultivating, in
Florida such plants as can not be
grown, in the open, in the northern
States. Your recent correspondent.
mentioned some of the common flow
ers of southern gardens. suggesting
they might be grown here also. But,
together with the more or less tropi-
cal grCwths already here encouraged
such as the fine pink oleanders
and the poinsettias-those plants
which beautify the little cities of the
Mediterranean coast of France and
Italy seem the very ones to be made
use of here. Some of these have
heer here introduced. but as yet too
sparingly. For example, the bou-
cainvillea, which when trained as
climber. as at Mentone, spreads in
masses on hieh stone walls, produo
ing the most striking effect. Let u,
imagine the walls Of the new gar
age in Lakeland making a similar
I display The camelia japoniea,
grown in luxuriant abundance a.
Sorrento. yields at Maitland. Fla.
waxen blossoms of pink and white,
large and exquisite as can be seen
anywhere. A delicate shrub, the
light blue towering plumbago is nc
tieed here occasionally. reminding
one who passes by of some spot. per
haps in Lugano Also the mesem-
lrNanthemum. which. pendant. eur
tains the low stone walls at Cannes
on the French Riviera; that, too.
Is sometimes raised in Florida under
. The name of California moss; but
have not seen at adapted in situation
. to its peculiar training habit OF
Growth
One would admire to see the white
lowering Daphne or laurel of til,
Italian lake region adornng with
with sweet-scented hedges the lake
Z region of our own southern penin.
: sala. The banksia roses. which al
san Keno Chamber and overspreat
and bloom by the thousand. nigh
probably prove as luXuriant here
; Or, among tender, lesser plants. tn,
D red and the purple anemones, bios
scining in March at Castellammore
might here be most welcome Il
Italian immigrants. Lupins of i'm
!" mense racemes of pink and othe
cCicrs. would seem to he waiting fo
a iocthold here. where Lupins of Law
ender variety are springing wild an,
lovely. The heliotrope is willing t,
grow, by the vard as a climber. i
1t can have season long enough
; and this might be another of th,
things TO specialize in To remem
ber it. trained across and high or
house walls. protected by glass en-
closure, as in England. suggest
What might be done with it in .
favoring climate where the frost
will never-or hardly ever" toucl
II The very light blue Neapolitar
violets. so extremely fragrant, seen
indicated for this latitude Beside
the orange-colored bignonia. so ,,or
5, geous here. the lavender-c -coloret
bignonia climbs as luxuriantly an,
has blossom at the same time larg
er and more delicate in texture. Thi
blooms. too. later in the season. /
Is tc be met with now. occasionall,
in Florida. and it is recommends,
:, H. list of climbers given in Th
a Florida Grower. issue of Novembe
4. 1916.
Among the distinctive plants de
sirable for generous cultivation II
gardon plots. should be mentione,
various wild shrubs and plants witt
!. noticeable flowers, native to Florida
Chionanthus-A white fringe O
~ the olive family.
"a Hypocrite--Prettiest of hypocrites
-. L.. II