A SCHEME OF AZURE AND TAWNY 



and accept the bumps for the sake of the soaring. But 

 we are always glad to come back to Villino Loki. 



The discoveries one makes in the garden after ten days' 

 absence are thrilling. The three rows of Thomas More 

 Tulips under the dining-room window are colouring to a 

 glorious orange, and the Forget-me-nots planted between 

 them are showing little sparks of blue. The tawny Wall- 

 flowers at the back are not all we could wish / but, even 

 pinched as they are, the effect of their many velvet hues is 

 satisfactory. There is a single row of double Tulips 

 <Prince of Orange) at the edge of the bed, between the 

 Forget-me-nots. In a week or so, looking up the terrace, 

 there will be five lines of flame running gloriously out of 

 the blue/ a sight to delight the eye, against the curious 

 bronze purple the moor wears just now. 

 The Scillas, which we thought were going to fail us, have 

 been a tremendous success, and still form pools of glowing 

 blue round the almond trees. Next year we intend to 

 make a feature of Scillas. They are such tiny bulbs that 

 they can scarcely interfere with anything/ and we shall 

 slip them in among the perennials in every corner, besides 

 putting more in the grass terraces. We are also going to 

 run riot with " Steeple-Jacks/ 7 especially the light turquoise 

 kind. They last an immense time and are of a delicious 

 tint. The long border of Campanelle Jonquils that we 

 have planted in what we call the " Bowling Green " are 

 drawn up as for a review, stiff and straight like little 

 soldiers in bright gold helmets. Next year we shall invest 

 in three or four thousand Daffodils for the rough places 



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