SCOTTISH GARDENS 



should be deprived of its former and most appro- 

 priate epithet azurea is one of those mysteries 

 wrought in the star chamber of Kew. Among these 

 were several choice flowers not often met with, such as 

 Oxalis Deppii, a woodsorrel with flowers, large for this 

 genus, of vieux rose, greatly superior to the commoner 

 0. Jioribunda. Lathyrus Drummondi (rotundifolius), 

 with blossoms of fine cinnabar red, rambled over 

 aged espalier apple-trees in the back row ; Salvia 

 tenori was conspicuous afar with its deep blue spikes, 

 and Veronica pimeloides poured a little cataract of 

 greyish-blue from the front row. 



The nucleus, so to speak, of this paradise of 

 flowers, is a rectangular kitchen garden in the old 

 style, with narrow borders along the paths, backed 

 by espalier fruit trees screening off the cabbages and 

 onions. But so deftly has this part of the ground 

 been handled, so generously have the flowering plants 

 responded to liberal and discriminate treatment, that 

 one does not suspect the presence of utile among such 

 a wealth of dulce. There it is, however, though it 

 requires close scrutiny to detect it, and I do not 

 remember to have seen elsewhere this combination 

 of flower and kitchen garden so skilfully carried 

 out. Weeds, it may be assumed, are as aggressive 

 at Barskimming as elsewhere, but the hand of 

 the Mistress of the Flowers is as ready as her 

 eye is quick: not a nettle nor bit of groundsel 

 is to be found in all the borders over which 

 she holds sway, so vigilantly does she carry out 



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