188 A GARDEN OF PLEASURE 



It is something like, when in music a minor 

 chord drops at once into the full major 

 harmony. So without doubt a pyracanthus 

 must be planted. Only now, in the gloom 

 and damp, we seem to know the full value 

 of scarlet geranium. There are a goodly 

 number of them grown under glass in the 

 frames, and never in the hottest days in 

 August have such scarlet splendours shot 

 from the blossoms. They absolutely flash 

 red rays of burning fire from the glasses on 

 the table. Fireball we find the best for 

 cutting in November. Henri Jacobi is too 

 sombre. Vesuvius is gaiety itself, but 

 Fireball is best. A few starry gold-eyed 

 marguerites, should be mixed in, and there 

 must be no leaves ; the stalks of tender 

 green showing all criss-cross within the 

 clear glass, are relief enough. A glass full 

 of such brilliant colour as this, will illumine 

 the dulness of the gloomiest mid-winter day. 



Thus far goes my garden diary of 

 1887. This 3oth of November four years 

 after, is cold and damp and shrouded 



