SPRING GARDEN AND ITS BULBS 41 



beds of Wood-anemones set thick with pale 

 Primroses. The sheets of Lent Lilies linger, 



even while 



"The Swallow dares," 



and bid good-morrow to the first Blue-bells 

 that will soon carpet the copses with heavenly 

 blue ; while in the meadows golden King- 

 cups mark each watercourse ; the " freckled 

 Cowslip " fills the air with its honey-sweet 

 scent ; and even the Fritillary is beginning 

 to raise its strange snake's head above the 

 growing grass. 



If the wild woods and meadow-lands are 

 thus dressed with delight, how great is the 

 enchantment of our gardens ! Every poor 

 man's cottage, every rich man's house, stands 

 alike in a jewelled setting. Ruby, coral, pearl 

 and topaz of Tulip, silver of Arabis, sapphire 

 of Anemone, onyx, jasper and sardonyx of 

 Auricula, Polyanthus and Wall-flower, and 

 gold, everywhere gold of Daffodil. For 

 flowers are no respecters of persons ; and 

 whosoever loves them, be he king or beggar, 

 to him do they respond and give of their 



