WALL-FLOWERS 55 



Suffolk. But, strange to say, it is only found in Hamp- 

 shire in one locality. Though we should expect to 

 find it on most of the ancient walls throughout the 

 county, yet, such is the incomprehensible way of 

 plants, it only cares to grow at Southampton, and 

 there on the old town walls which skirt the western 

 shore it blossoms abundantly. 



But perhaps the most interesting species of our 

 wall-flora in Hampshire are to be found on the his- 

 toric walls of Beaulieu Abbey, and probably date back 

 to the days of the Cistercian monks. In early summer 

 the grey walls of the ruined cloisters are gay with the 

 purple flowers of the wild pink (Dianthus plumarius, 

 L.). This plant is the origin of our. garden pinks, and 

 is naturalised in only a few places in England. No- 

 where else in Hampshire is it to be found save on the 

 cloister walls of the abbey of Beaulieu. In company 

 with the wild pink will be seen another plant with an 

 interesting history. This is Hyssopus officinalis, pro- 

 bably identical with the hyssop of Scripture. In the 

 middle ages this plant always had a place in the 

 monastic herb-garden, and was much prized for its 

 medicinal properties. " Hyssop," says the old Herbal, 

 " is a very pretty plant, kept for its virtues. It grows 

 two feet high. The flowers are small, and stand in 

 long spikes at the tops of the branches ; they are of a 

 beautiful blue colour. The whole plant has a strong, 

 but not disagreeable, smell." The plant was gathered 

 when just beginning to flower, and dried. The infu- 

 sion, made in the manner of tea, was " excellent against 

 coughs, hoarsenesses, quinseys, and swellings in the 

 throat." It also, we are told, " helps to expectorate 

 tough phlegm, and is effectual in all cold griefs of the 

 chest or lungs." The monastic herb-garden has now 



