284 Old Time Gardens 



given to plants of masculine qualities, — strength, 

 force, stubbornness ; neuter endings in um, given to 

 plants indicative of evil or death. 



I have a fancy anent many old-time flower 

 names that they are also the names of persons. I 

 think of them as persons bearing various traits and 

 characteristics. On the other hand, many old Eng- 

 lish Christian names seem so suited for flowers, that 

 they might as well stand for flowers as for persons. 

 Here are a few of these quaint old names, Collet, 

 Colin, Em mot, Issot, Doucet, Dobinet, Cicely, 

 Audrey, Amice, Hilary, Bryde, Morrice, Tyffany, 

 Amery, Nowell, Ellice, Digory, Avery, Audley, 

 Jacomin, Gillian, Petronille, Gresel, Joyce, Lettice, 

 Cibell, Avice, Cesselot, Parnell, Renelsha. Do they 

 not " smell sweet to the ear " ? The names of flow- 

 ers are often given as Christian names. Children 

 have been christened by the names Dahlia, Clover, 

 Hyacinth, Asphodel, Verbena, Mignonette, Pansy, 

 Heartsease, Daisy, Zinnia, Fraxinella, Poppy, Daf- 

 fodil, Hawthorn. 



What power have the old English names of gar- 

 den flowers, to unlock old memories, as have the 

 flowers themselves ! Dr. Earle writes, " The fasci- 

 nation of plant names is founded on two instincts ; 

 love of Nature, and curiosity about Language." 

 To these I should add an equally strong instinct 

 in many persons — their sensitiveness to associa- 

 tions. 



I am never more filled with a sense of the delight 

 of old English plant-names than when I read the 

 liquid verse of Spenser: — 



