In the grass, Colchicum autumnale, often called Autumn September. 

 Crocus, should now be coming into flower. The common one Colchicum 

 is a British plant, and a first-rate one for the wild garden as its 

 natural home is a meadow ; grass too makes the best setting for 

 the fragile flowers which are quickly soiled in the borders, as 

 their leaves do not appear till later. They may be had double 

 or single, white or lilac-pink. There are other finer varieties, 

 such as Colchicum giganteum and speciosum ; the flowers of the 

 former are very round and cup-shaped, and twice the size of the 

 C. autumnale, but they are expensive for naturalising. 



The real autumn Crocuses also begin to flower now, and 

 bring even more pleasure and hope than the spring varieties, 

 starting into fresh life when most plants are beginning to prepare 

 for their winter rest. The illustration was painted from a lovely 

 blue-purple one Crocus speciosus with veins of dark maroon 

 spreading delicately over the petals, and uniting to make a dark 

 stem. The stigma is very long, even the buds show a bright 

 orange spot before they open. These Crocuses must be planted 

 in June or July, as their foliage does not die down until the end 

 of May ; like the Colchicums they look best if grown in grass. 

 There are a number of European varieties which should be 

 introduced into the garden if possible, such as C. nudiflorus 

 very much the colour of speciosus but increasing very fast 

 and pulchellus and longiflorus, mauve with yellow throats. 



Of the Japanese Anemones growing beside the Crocus too 

 much can hardly be said as to their use and beauty at this season, 

 either for effect in the borders or for picking. They may be had 

 white, a lovely pale pink and a rather commoner full pink, and 

 once established should be left undisturbed. 



The little pink plant Erlgeron mucronatus shown in 



147 



