358 THE GARDEN, YOU, AND I 



whatsoever compete with the snow of May apple or- 

 chards? the fact that the snow is often rose tinged 

 only serving to accentuate the contrasting white. 



In the landscape all light tints that at a distance 

 have the value of white are equally to the purpose, 

 and can be used for hedges, boundaries, or what may 

 be called punctuation points. German or English 

 Iris and peonies are two very useful plants for this 

 purpose, flowering in May and June and for the rest 

 of the season holding their substantial, well- set- up 

 foliage. These two plants, if they receive even or- 

 dinary good treatment, may also be relied upon for 

 masses of uniform bloom held well above the leaves; 

 and while pure white peonies are a trifle monoto- 

 nous and glaring unless blended with the blush, rose, 

 salmon, and cream tints, there are any number of 

 white iris both tall and dwarf with either self-toned 

 flowers, or pencilled, feathered, or bordered with a 

 variety of delicate tints, and others equally valuable 

 of pale shades of lilac or yellow, the recurved falls 

 being of a different tint. 



Thus does Nature paint her pictures and give us 

 hints to follow, and yet a certain art phase proclaims 

 Nature's colour combinations crude and rudimentary 

 forsooth ! 



