Hibberd believed the Pontic Azalea (Azalea Pontica) was one of the greatest value plants within the Victorian garden. They were hardy, immensely showy when in flower, and had pleasing autumn foliage.

The Pontic Azalea is a native of Asia Minor and in many respects different to the azaleas of North America.

(The rest of Hibberd's allocated three pages on Pontic Azaleas was given over to ancient Greek myth ...)

 

 

 

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Information and image taken from F. Edward Hulme and Shirley Hibberd, Familiar Garden Flowers (Cassell, Peter, Galpin and Co.: London: c. 1890), 5 vols.