106 THE CHEONICLES OF A GARDEN. 



them in the " winter of their discontent," when we know 

 what they have been and will be again, if we will but bear 

 patiently, and hoj^e in the dark season 1 



Carnations are now in full blow, and, either as separate 

 plants or in a bed, they are beautiful ; and as they are not 

 very difficult of cultivation, I wonder why these flowers 

 should have gone so much out of fashion. Except the 

 clove carnation, there are few with much perfume to boast 

 of. Their cousin, the pink, far excels them in that respect; 

 but the variety of their colours, and a sort of cpieenly grace 

 about their tall stems and rich flowers, make them very 

 attractive, — and for cut bouquets in autumn they are valu- 

 able, as they keep long fresh in water. In alluding to the 

 possibility of gathering carnations for nosegays, I am quite 

 aware that I am on dangerous ground ; the sight of a lady, 

 flower-scissors in hand, approaching a bed of choice carna- 

 tions, would drive a gardener to his wits' end ; but I am 

 writing on the pleasures of gardening, and not on the cul- 

 ture of flowers, and certainly, having plenty of common, 

 free - flowering carnations, and sometimes gathering the 

 same, is a source of lawful enjoyment. I admit that it is 

 not so to gather the gardener's flowers, or an amateur's 

 choice specimens, or even to cull flowers at all in any one's 

 garden but your own ; tltere, however, carnations may be 

 in sufficient abundance to be gathered, even although a 

 few select specimens may be " tabooed " by the gardener, 

 or grower tliereof. There is one kind, of a bright flesh 

 colour, but no scent, wliich flowers late and profusely ; 

 then there are pale pink and pure white varieties, also full 



