My Garden in Spring 



My constancy and a close comparison with other attrac- 

 tive stocks gradually eliminated its rivals, and one morn- 

 ing when we met at breakfast I heard the news that an 

 early visit to the bulb garden had ended in the arrangement 

 that the stock of my favourite was to go to the Rectory in 

 Wales. I am glad to say Whitewell made a successful 

 debut on the show stand and was eagerly sought after, 

 and its purchaser often tells me he is glad he was overruled 

 by the fascination the flower had for me. My plants of it 

 were a gift from him, and every Spring they recall pleasant 

 memories of my first visit to Haarlem and its bulb gardens. 

 Hall Caine I first saw during that same visit, and was much 

 struck by its beauty. A large, loosely-built, sulphur-tinted 

 Peerless (I mean to live up to my views and use this name), 

 it seemed just the thing for cutting as well as for a good 

 effect in a broad planting. The veteran grower who was 

 showing us his stocks declared it to be "just incomparabilis," 

 and quoted what we thought a ridiculously low figure 

 for it, and we made vows to invest largely in this "just 

 incomparabilis," but alas ! at the office we learnt it was an 

 unnamed seedling, and thought too much of to be acquired 

 as easily as we were expecting. Now it has a name, and 

 though it is a very charming thing its price is not prohibi- 

 tive. It is soft and uncommon in colour, and with a fine 

 tall stem and graceful poise, and is none too well known. 



The celebrated white trumpet Peter Barr is among my 

 choice and petted forms in the bed under the new wall. 

 I wish he were a trifle taller in the stem and knew how to 

 make more of his beauty. He came to me by means of ex- 

 change. I did not give fifty guineas for him fifty shillings 

 would be more than I should dream of giving for any one 

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