90 IN A GLOUCESTERSHIRE GARDEN 



the sea had been driven over the gardens near the 

 beach, all shrubs and other plants with green leaves 

 were seriously injured, while all those with white or 

 grey foliage were quite unhurt. I do not profess to 

 explain this, and I have never seen it explained, 1 

 but it is a curious fact in plant-life, which was 

 again brought to my memory by the different effects 

 produced by the drought of 1893 on plants of dif- 

 ferent colours. 



A few years ago I thought I could add to the capa- 

 cities of my garden by the erection of tall poles of oak, 

 upon which I would train creepers of different kinds, 

 vines, clematis, roses, brambles, wistaria, etc., and I 

 am very pleased at the result. Already several of the 

 poles are well covered, and I have a sort of rudimen- 

 tary pergola ; and I have little doubt that I shall see 

 them all soon covered, and they will make a very 

 pleasant feature in the garden. But on a few I trained 

 some climbing annuals, and I am well pleased with 

 them. On one I trained fancy gourds, chiefly the 

 snake gourds. The foliage is most beautiful, and the 

 flowers being pure white are very striking ; but I do 

 not get many fruits, for, for some reason which I 



1 The white colour of the leaves is tomentum ; and Linnaeus' rule 

 was, ' tomentum servat plantas a ventis ; gaudet saepius colore incano.' 

 Phil. Bot., 163. viii. 



