24 ALPINE FLOWERS AND GARDENS 



alp'ma, will be the sweet-scented Gymnadeiiia 

 odoratissiina and G. conopea, together with the 

 red and lilac Orchis glohosa ; while almost every- 

 where will be appearing the curiously dark, claret- 

 coloured heads of the Vanilla Orchid [Nigritella 

 angustifoUa). On the slopes, too, there will be 

 hosts of the graceful paper-white sprays of St. 

 Bruno's or Paradise Lily ( Paradisla LiUastrum) ; 

 while the rocks will be creamy-white with a wealth 

 of Saxlfraga Aizoon, one of the loveliest of 

 Saxifrages. No ; spring has no lack of successive 

 substitutes. It is only when Crepis aurea, the 

 sienna-red Dandelion or Golden Hawksbeard, begins 

 to appear, and summer is hurriedly commencing, 

 that spring's ubiquity and profusion of purest, 

 freshest colour begins to wane. 



As has been said, there are many resorts in the 

 Alps where these delights of spring are at the very 

 door — instance the Col de la Forclaz, above 

 Martigny, in the Rhone Valley. Here, although 

 it is about 4,500 feet up, or about 1,500 feet higher 

 than Champery and Chateau-d'OEx, one can, if the 

 season be normal, comfortably sojourn towards the 

 beginning or middle of May, and for those who 

 wish to be living on the very threshold of Alpine 

 spring life few places can be more desirable. From 



