1 68 NATURE NEAR LONDON 



bowling-green, sunk somewhat below the general surface, 

 where in similar beds may be found the most of those 

 curious old herbs which, for seasoning or salad, or some 

 use of superstition, were famous in ancient English 

 households. Not one of them but has its associations. 

 " There's rue for you," to begin with ; we all know who 

 that herb is for ever connected with. 



There is marjoram and sage, clary, spearmint, pepper- 

 mint, salsify, elecampane, tansy, assafcetida, coriander, 

 angelica, caper spurge, lamb's lettuce, and sorrel. Mug- 

 wort, southernwood, and wormwood are still to be found 

 in old gardens : they stand here side by side. Monks- 

 hood, horehound, henbane, vervain (good against the 

 spells of witches), feverfew, dog's mercury, bistort, woad, 

 and so on, all seem like relics of the days of black-letter 

 books. All the while greenfinches are singing happily 

 in the trees without the wall. 



This is but the briefest resume; for many long 

 summer afternoons would be needed even to glance 

 at all the wild flowers that bloom in June. Then you 

 must come once at least a month, from March to Sep- 

 tember, as the flowers succeed each other, to read the 

 place aright. It is an index to every meadow and corn- 

 field, wood, heath, and river in the country, and by 

 means of the plants of the same species to the flowers 

 of the world. Therefore, the Herbaceous Ground seems 

 to me a place that should on no account be passed by. 

 And the next place is the Wilderness that is, the Forest. 



On the way thither an old-fashioned yew hedge may 

 be seen round about a vast glasshouse. Outside, on the 

 sward, there are fewer wild flowers growing wild than 

 might perhaps be expected, owing in some degree, no 

 doubt, to the frequent mowing, except under the trees, 

 where again the constant shadow does not suit all. By 



