The year which has passed away has been, as usual, prolific of novelties amongst plants cultivated as ornamental objects. It was, however, specially recorded, that two classes of plants, which appeal to the senses more by their beautiful forms than by their gaudy colors - by their elegant rather than their gorgeous beauty, have made great advances in popular estimation. The classes referred to are the Perns and the Ornamental-foliaged Plants, including among the latter those with variegated leaves. We pass over these, however, to record briefly the novelties among flowering plants, which have attracted especial notice during 1857.

Among annuals, the most striking and useful addition which we have observed is Lupinus Menziesi, remarkable for its crowded, heavy spikes of deep yellow flowers. The Veronica Syriaca, too, though of a simpler character, should form pretty dwarf blue beds. A purple-leaved variety of Oxalis stricta, called atropurpurea, may be a useful dwarf plant for special purposes. Here we may also record the showy biennial Campanula Brome-headiana, a remarkably fine double Canterbury Bell.

Perennials are more numerous. There is the Farfugium grande. Delphinium formosum, an English garden variety, is, perhaps, one of the richest and showiest perennials, producing freely its large intense azure flowers; producing them freely, too, the first year from the seed, if sown early and planted in congenial soil. In the French gardens has appeared a handsome double-flowered (so-called) variety of Scabiosa atropurpurea; and there also has re-appeared a beautiful dwarf Dianthus, with its crest of crimson white-eyed flowers, resting on a compact mass of deep green leaves; it is called Dianthus pulcherrimus. Lobelia texensis is a vigorous growing species, with scarlet flowers, numerous, but rather small, and is of half-hardy character. This latter remark applies to the fine Spanish Salvia candelabra, a tall suffruticose plant, with branching panicles of white and purple flowers. The French gardens have received from California Tanacetum elegans, with greyish Fern-like foliage. Viola pedunculata is a handsome dwarf plant, with yellow flowers, spotted behind.

The last was the finest Chrysanthemum season ever known.

Among greenhouse plants, the finest, without doubt, is Rhododendron Veitchii, a dwarf habited species, with large white frilled flowers. Several good additions have been made to the Indian Azalias, but none strikingly superior to those already known. The double variety of Camellia reticulata, introduced by Mr. Fortune, has bloomed and proves to have a large, rich-colored flower, moderately filled with petals. Monochaetum ensiferum is a charming little Melastomaceous shrub, with Chironia-colored flowers, a greenhouse plant, certainly, but probably requiring a warm greenhouse. Some very pretty hybrid Bouvardias have been produced. One of the best of variegated plants is the new Hydrangea japonica aureo-variegata.

Achimenes amabilis is a fine stove plant, with white Foxglove-shaped flowers; and both that and A. meteor, which we have figured, and A. splen-dens, alias Tapina, a trailer, with brilliant scarlet flowers, are charming additions to this popular family. There are some very handsome new Begonias. B. Griffithi and B. Rex are dwarf kinds, with a zone of silvery grey on the upper surface of their foliage; B. Heracleifolia nigricans and B. laciniata, larger sorts, with dark or brown-purple variegations. The curious little B. rosacea has nearly circular flowers, and is altogether a neat plant. Eucharis Amazonica and E. grandiflora, of which the first is, perhaps, only a larger flowered variety, are stove herbaceous plants of the first class, bold in character, free blooming, and showy. Gardenia citriodora, a dwarf, cool stove evergreen, bears its fragrant white blossoms profusely. Gesnera cinnabarina is a fine novelty with the habit of zebrina, having richly colored foliage; and G. densiflora, a free blooming new species, with the habit of oblongata, both highly desirable additions to our gay stove plants. Poitaea viciaefolia is a slender, elegant Mimosa-like plant, with vermilion-colored long Papilionaceous flowers.

Thunbergia Harissi and T. laurifolia are two noble stove climbers, producing pendant racemes of large pale blue flowers, the effect of which from the rafters of a hothouse must be very fine. Tydaea Eeckhauti and T. Ortegiesi are showy hybrids, with the character of Achimenes picta, and of a rosy red.

There are but few important additions to the list of Orchids. Aerides Wightianum is a distinct and charming plant with apricot-colored flowers. Angraecum sesquipedale is a superb thing, Vanda-like in habit, with the largest flowers known in the family, pure white when expanded. Cypri-pedium Fairieanum and C. hirsutissimum are two distinct and handsome additions to the evergreen section of Lady's Slipper. Laelia Brysnia is very rich-looking; and finally Trichopilia crispa is a charming frilled-flowered dwarf epiphyte, near T. coccinea, but with the flowers crispy edged. - London Florist.