206 THE SHAKESPEARE GARDEN 



beds on some sweet evening at sunset, what buds will 

 bloom in the joy of next morning's first sunbeams, 

 for these will be lifting themselves heavenward, 

 slowly and silently, but surely. To stand by the 

 beds at sunrise and see the flowers awake is a 

 heavenly delight. As the first long, low rays of the 

 sun strike the buds, you know they feel the signal ! 

 A light air stirs among them; you lift your eyes, 

 perhaps to look at a rosy cloud, or follow the flight 

 of a carolling bird, and when you look back again, 

 lo! the calix has fallen from the largest bud and 

 lies on the ground, two half-transparent light green 

 shells, leaving the flower-petal wrinked in a thou- 

 sand folds, just released from their close pressure. 

 A moment more and they are unclosing before you 

 eyes. They flutter out on the gentle breeze like 

 silken banners to the sun." 



It would be tempting in a Shakespeare garden to 

 include many kinds of this joyous, yet solemn, 

 flower ; and certainly as many were common in Eliza- 

 bethan gardens it would not be an anachronism to 

 have them. However, if the space be restricted and 

 the garden lover a purist then the white poppy only 

 should be planted. 



