CHAPTER XII 



Bowles's Flora Conifers Variegated shrubs Ferns 

 Laumstinus Looking forward Conclusion. 



WHAT can any one say of the garden in December 1 

 Can any one honestly say that a garden in December 

 is pleasant, or can give pleasant thoughts 1 The general 

 verdict of December would be given in Tennyson's 

 words : 



' Earthward he boweth the heavy stalks 



Of the mouldering flowers ; 

 Heavily hangs the broad sunflower 



Over its grave i' the earth so chilly ; 

 Heavily hangs the hollyhock, 



Heavily hangs the tiger-lily.' 



And, as Tennyson is speaking of 'the year's last 

 hours,' he evidently was not in the habit of making 

 things neat in the garden by cutting down the old 

 flower-stems. If that was his habit I am much in- 

 clined to agree with him; I never think that the 



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