302 COMMON SENSE GARDENS 



ocallis; Foxglove and Sweet William are just past 

 their climaxes; the Nasturtium is resting from the 

 first efforts of blooming, and its light-green stems 

 are beginning to trail over the dark-green hedge;' 

 there is a slight slackening of all bloom when the 

 beautiful Flags have the centre of the stage. The 

 other plants are a little awed; there is not much 

 to distract one's attention from the entrance of the 

 leading ladies. Softly they unfold into flower, one 

 by one; first the white, then the purple, then the 

 blue, until the mise en scene is complete. They 

 disappear just as gradually, just as softly, and the 

 lance-like leaves quiver in the faint Summer zephyrs 

 as their beautiful offspring fade and wither and fall. 

 The curtain is only down a moment, to be raised 

 on the fast quickening glories of Rudbeckia and 

 Phlox. If I were going on a journey in the Sum- 

 mer time, to the fairest, freshest, coolest land under 

 the sun, I would postpone my setting out until 

 after Iris Kaempferi had bloomed. Never plant 

 these beautiful flowers in masses; they are not only 

 too magnificent in colour and form for such a pur- 

 pose, but in a small garden the bed would be un- 

 interesting for most of the Summer. They should 



