My Garden in Spring 



not one drop of its water soaks through to them, for to 

 begin with Sir Hugh Myddelton saw to the proper con- 

 struction of its clay banks three hundred years ago, and 

 vigilant officials, first of the New River Company and now 

 of the Metropolitan Water Board, have ever since been on 

 the watch for weak spots and ready to apply fresh clay 

 when needed. So that in spite of the nearness of so much 

 water, these beds are about as dry and starved as any in 

 the world, and very few plants will grow in them so 

 happily as the Flag Irises. 



Where the row of Yews ceases, the beds are wider and 

 more open at the back, and there is one between river and 

 pond that runs back a good way, and holds two fine old 

 Scots Pines, and a group or two of flowering trees. The 

 Chinese Almond, Prunus Davidiana, in both its pink and 

 white forms opens the season, often flowering in early 

 February, but sometimes in late January, when the Witch 

 Hazels race it for first place. Hamamelis arborea is always 

 the first of these, and its rich orange threads catch the 

 sunlight on bright days and make a brave show. Then 

 the newer H. mollis opens its rather larger blossoms, and 

 is followed by japonica and its variety Zuccariniana, which 

 have paler yellow flowers and show up well from a dis- 

 tance. These grow towards the pond side, but at that 

 period of leaflessness can be seen from the river bank 

 across the Iris bed and through the central group of 

 Crabs which later on completely hides them. A Siberian 

 Crab behind and two Pyrus Malus floribunda in front make 

 a lovely picture when full of flower, especially while 'the 

 /loribunda's buds are still round and crimson. Three 

 purple-leaved Birches rise just behind them and form the 



222 



