THE POETRY OF GARDENING. 89 



he is advertised of the last Orchideous arrival at Loddiges', 

 and can master the 500 pages of the Hortus Britannicus. 

 It was considered the summit of art in Shakspeare's days, 

 as we learn from the ' Winter's Tale,' to streak the gilli- 

 flower ; _, and that garden was accounted rich that could 

 boast a carnation. Rosemary and rue for the old hot 

 lavender, mints, savory, marjoram, and marigolds, for the 

 middle-aged daffodils, dim violets, pale primroses, bold 

 oxlips, the crown-imperial, 



" lilies of all kinds, 

 The flower-de-lis being one," 



for the young; these were flowers that had their place in 

 the earliest associations of the gallants and their lady-loves, 

 and their rank in the brightest page of the poet. 



Unlike the untractable nomenclature of the present day, 

 their familiar names entwined themselves in immortal verse 

 with as easy and natural a grace as they clustered in their 

 native beds, or wreathed themselves round the brow of 

 beauty. The same flowers were at once the property of 

 the poet and the belle ; the " posie " was common to both ; 

 and maidens could cull their May garlands to the minstrel's 

 theme, as they sang 



" When daisies pied, and violets blue, 



And lady-smocks all silver white, 

 And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue, 



Do paint the meadows with delight, 

 The cuckoo then, on every tree, 

 Mocks married men, for thus sings he, 



Cuckoo, cuckoo ! " 



" The azurecl harebell," the pale daffodil, the golden crocus, 

 the crisped hyacinth, the columbine, the buglosse, the 

 eglantine, and the primrose, 



" Most musical, most melancholy," 



