84 POT-POURRI FROM A SURREY GARDEN 



gardening was aimed at in the large bare beds cut in rather 

 coarse grass. I think turf is overdone in England ; but 

 why it should be attempted at all where it grows badly, 

 and is rarely successful, I cannot imagine. How infinitely 

 prettier it would be to have earth planted with shrubs 

 and low-growing, creeping plants, with grass paths I The 

 shrubs that I saw in France seemed to me as much over- 

 pruned indeed stiffly cut back in spring as they are 

 under-pruned in England. 



April 16th. We returned home last night. At this 

 time of year how a week or ten days changes the growth 

 in one's garden ! I must confess that sometimes, coming 

 home after dark, I have taken a hand-candle to inspect 

 some special favourite. 



Buddleia globosa is well worth growing, even in a 

 small garden. It has many merits besides its golden 

 balls, which so charmed Mr. Bright, and which here, at 

 any rate, I think rather disappointing. The growth is 

 lovely ; and the tone of the green unusual, mixing well 

 with many summer flowers. It lasts a long time in 

 water in the hottest weather. The more you cut it, the 

 better it seems to do. It was killed to the ground in the 

 cold winter of '94-95, but broke up from the roots as 

 strong as ever. Some plants do this ; others never recover. 

 The shrubby Veronicas never do break up from the roots 

 here. My large Arbutus, killed the same winter, threw up a 

 few shoots, but never did any good, and died the next year. 

 I think the shrubby Veronicas so well worth growing that 

 I have five or six varieties; and as they are not quite 

 hardy, I keep pots of cuttings every winter. This we do 

 also with three or four nominally hardy Cistuses, though 

 they are a little more difficult to strike. Helianthemums 

 or Eock-roses are well worth growing from seed in a 

 sunny dry situation. I know nothing more charming 

 than these delicate, bright-flowered little plants blazing 



