152 A BOOK ABOUT THE GAEDEN. 



plants of spring, present to our admiration. Of 

 form, from the tall imperial fritillaria, having the 

 resemblance of crown and of sceptre also, to the 

 prostrate stonecrop, carpeting the ground beneath. 

 Of colour, what a range, what a rich variety ! All 

 colours, primary and intermediate, brilliant and soft, 

 positive and neutral colours to harmonize, colours 

 to contrast, the colours which I like, and the colours 

 which you like all of them are here. Does your 

 eye delight in the glow and brightness of the more 

 vivid tints ? Look at that anemone, well-named 

 " fulgens," all afire in crimson glory ! Eegard these 

 tulips General Garibaldi, in his scarlet uniform, or 

 royally named and royally apparelled, rex rubrorum, 

 the King of the Beds ! Gaze upon that gentian (the 

 vernal), luminous, gleaming like the breast of a 

 humming-bird with an intense and dazzling blue ! 

 Watch that clump of the yellow crocus, as they open 

 to receive the kisses of the sun (if any) ; and what 

 is there in the stove, or even in the summer-garden, 

 in orchid, allamanda, or calceolaria, which can vie 

 with them in their golden sheen ? 



Or have you what is called a more "quiet taste " ? 

 Bend over this bed of myosotis dissitiflora, bluer 

 than the turquoise, blue as the heavens, and you 

 need not ask from the gardener, or search in floral 

 dictionary, a translation of the name, for the flower 

 itself speaks it in your ear, and whispers, " forget- 

 me-not." Or turn to that patch of the exquisite, 

 dainty little scillas (" from the Scilly Islands," I once 

 heard a gentleman, who set up to be a wit, remark to 

 a lady, who promptly set him down by replying, 



