202 PREPARING FOR SPRING 



come* They lend a charm even to the frozen ground 

 by their symmetrical outlines and torpid promise of 

 renewed life* In spring they will speedily wither as 

 the strong* coarse stalk rises from the ground* Some 

 of the outer points of the circles are already turning 

 brown* 



There are other decorative rosettes nestling close 

 on the hard, frozen surface* The Viper 's Bugloss, 

 branded by an unsympathetic community as a 

 noxious weed, in spite of the bright picturesque 

 aspect of its blue* bristling spikes of flowers* appears 

 like dark green stars under the withered grass and 

 sedges* Its coarser and bristling texture distinguishes 

 it from the evening primrose* In summer it displays 

 a decorative scheme peculiarly its own. coarsely 

 picturesque, with unfolding spikes of small blue 

 tubular flowers relieved by pink buds and red pro- 

 truding stamens* The best time to study the wild 

 flowers is all the year round. The Shepherd's Purse, 

 more conspicuous as a weed than as a flower, now 

 takes on a fine rosette form and lies close to the 

 ground, its deeply-lobed leaves in a less regular circle 

 presenting an excellent decorative effect. In summer 

 its little, two-lobed, purse-like seed pods will be more 

 conspicuous than its diminutive white flowers. Just 

 now it is at its best* The Saxifrage spreads a little 

 irregular bunch of leaves on the ground, seeming 

 eager for a chance to hide away under the snow* 



