MAY 311 



the Virgin Climber.' The Passion Flower, however, has 

 retained its original name and significance. It is the 

 one great contribution of the western hemisphere to 

 the symbolical flowers of Christendom ; and its starlike 

 blossoms have taken a worthy place beside the mystical 

 Roses and Trefoils of ecclesiastical decoration. 



When I replanted the Ornitkogalum pyramidale in 

 September last year, I planted between them some pieces 

 of Galega officinalis, so easily divided in the autumn. 

 The fresh, bright green makes a groundwork for the 

 long spikes of the bulbs, and later it gives a succession 

 of flowers of its own pretty white or pale lilac. In dry 

 seasons it is most useful for picking. In one place I 

 find it is growing quite successfully. In a more shaded 

 corner under a wall no sun reaching it in winter 

 every plant of the Galega has died. I merely mention 

 this as one more instance of how the hardiest plants do 

 well or not within a few yards of each other. I saw, in 

 a friend's garden to-day, Alstroemerias growing like 

 weeds all over the place. I remarked on this. 'Yes,' 

 she said, 'it's quite true.' For five years I had never 

 been able to get one seed to grow, and the plants I 

 bought invariably died. Now I have so many that I 

 must dig them out with a spade.' 



I do not think I mentioned before that all kinds of 

 Poppies travel beautifully if they are gathered in bud ; 

 and if, on arrival, the hard husk is peeled off from the 

 buds, they revive and flower and last longer. Forcing open 

 the buds exhausts the flowers, and then they open, but 

 to fade and die. The Shirley and Iceland Poppies are 

 prepared in this way for the London market. Some of 

 the Campanula tribe do best dry and starved ; they 

 flower well instead of going to leaf. This is especially 

 the case with the little C. ccespitosa and with C. grandis, 

 which is so useful for covering the ground under shrubs 



