pleasure — the rich reward of the loving toil and care that have gone to 

 its making ; every plant or group in it doing its appointed work in its 

 due season — that giving of " sweet solace " according to the well-fitting 

 wording of our far-away ancestors. 



And when the day's work is done, and the light just begins to fail, 

 no one knows better than the artist that then is the best moment in the 

 garden — when the colours acquire a wonderful richness of " subdued 

 splendour " such as is unmatched throughout the lighter hours of the 

 long summer day. Then it is that the flowers of delicate texture that 

 have grown faint in the full heat, raise their heads and rejoice ; that the 

 tall evening Primrose opens its pale wide petals and gives off its faint 

 perfume ; that the little lilac cross-flowers of the night-scented Stock 

 open out and show their modest prettiness and pour forth their enchant- 

 ing fragrance. This early evening hour is indeed the best of all ; the 

 hour of loveliest sight, of sweetest scent, of best earthly rest and fullest 

 refreshment of body and spirit. 



62 



