The Beauty de Neige. Borders, which once contained only Calceolarias and 

 of the Lobelias set out in stiff lines, have been revolutionised by planting 

 Autumnal a background of white and pink Sweet Peas, and dividing the 

 Flowers rest ^ t ^ ie s P ace mto alternate divisions of China Roses and free- 

 growing Carnations, such as Raby Castle, >ueen of Bedders, 

 Duchess of Fife, etc. Sometimes a whole border is given up to 

 one colour. A delightful one, I remember, was composed of a 

 background of Golden Elder, with groups of yellow Chrysan- 

 themums, Tritomas, and the Montbretia, Vulcan. Sometimes 

 plants of distinct colours are grouped together to show each 

 other off, such as clumps of Papaver somniferum, or its variety 

 Suttoris Chamois Rose, sown thinly among white Madonna 

 Lilies. 



But our flower borders do not attain their best till the month 

 of August, and though in July we have to yield the palm to 

 the Roses of England, the brilliancy of colouring and beauty of 

 our autumnal display surely can be surpassed nowhere. It is 

 characteristic of Scottish gardens that spring flowers are hardly 

 over before summer has begun, and every season seems to 

 overflow with the flowers of another, summer lending those 

 peculiar to herself to swell the train of autumn. 



Our cottage gardens do not compare favourably with those 

 of England. Too often, perhaps owing to the thrift of the 

 Cannie Scot, of flowers there only " grows a bonnie briar bush 

 in oor Kailyaird," and homely vegetables usurp the chief part. 

 Sometimes, however, this is not the case, and beside the Scarlet 

 Tropteolum speciosum with its lovely blue purple berries, which, 

 growing like a weed in the North, clothes the white-harled walls 

 of the cottages in scarlet and purple, and " flames the Yews in 

 glory," Ayrshire Roses and Yellow Briars trained on rustic 



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