124 A GARDEN OF PLEASURE 



French poppies, so called, are far inferior, 

 despite their grand seed vessels, and their 

 fine grey foliage. ... I am rebuked by 

 the sweet face of one of these very poppies 

 looking reproachfully at me across the 

 table. The colour is vermillion-red and 

 white, most delicate and pure. The seed 

 of that poppy must be marked. 



In the white splendour of their contrast 

 to the poppies, how beautiful the blooming 

 of Madonna lilies has been ! (it is all 

 * has been,' now !) Does any one know 

 why the lily leaves almost always fail ? 

 Before their buds flowered our lilies for 

 the most part looked deplorable their 

 withered leaves hanging down around the 

 tall stems. In due time, when the stems 

 were crowned with the majesty beside 

 which the glory of Solomon was as nought, 

 we forgot the dreary deadness of the foliage. 

 In Switzerland, where the cottage gardens 

 are filled like those in England, with 

 white lilies, I am told the stalk-leaves 

 remain green. Two or three of our finest 



us since 1872, have since become known as ' The 

 Shirley Poppy ! ' 



