178 EVERSLEY GARDENS 



through them to keep up the temperature 

 of the water. It thrives so greatly, however, 

 that the young surplus plants are planted in 

 the Lily ponds during the summer ; and the 

 effect of their blue star-like flowers carried 

 high above the water on upright stems, 

 among the pale sulphur and rose-pink of 

 the other Lilies, is a joy to behold. To see 

 the Lilies in perfection they should be visited 

 in the morning. But on this special after- 

 noon the skies were grey, and the flowers, 

 which generally close soon after midday, had 

 opened later than usual and were in perfect 

 form, a dream of delight. 



Along the sloping green turf between the 

 walk and the ponds, standard Fuchsias, tall 

 plants of Heliotrope, Plumbago, and Sweet- 

 leaved Geraniums of many sorts, were sunk 

 in pots ; while among them, long shoots 

 covered with the scarlet lobster-claw flowers 

 of my dear old West-Indian friend Erythrina 

 Christagalli y whose seeds are the scarlet and 

 black " jumby beads " of our childhood, made 

 a brave show. It does one good to see an old 



