SCOTTISH GARDENS 



a wing has been thrown out to meet the more 

 exacting requirements of the eighteenth century; 

 but even that did not serve to satisfy a modern 

 household, and in the nineteenth century a brand 

 new mansion was erected ; the ancient home, with 

 all its chequered association, was evacuated, the 

 green "pleuse" and flowery borders were ploughed 

 up, and the old house was applied to the accommoda- 

 tion of workmen and their families. 



Yet it was not upon the fine new terraces or 

 among the flaunting parterres that Miss Wilson's 

 choice of a subject fell, but under the time-worn 

 walls, where a few flowers still linger, though the 

 former inmates have passed away. The house, so 

 far as it is inhabited, now serves for a working 

 man's dwelling; and readers may be disposed to 

 dispute its claim for a place among Scottish gardens. 

 Indeed, it affords no example of successful cultiva- 

 tion. The flowers are but those whose constitution 

 enables them to survive neglect and run wild ; but 

 the drawing illustrates so well those gleams and 

 flashes of colour which we sometimes see reflected 

 from a forgotten past, that I could not find it in 

 my heart to put it aside. 



In this instance the colour comes from two species 

 of Tropseolum namely, the annual Indian Cress (T. 

 nasturtium), and the perennial T. speciosum, which 

 cottagers sometimes call, by easy transposition of 

 consonants, the " petroleum plant/' Both of these are 

 natives of South America, and, like many others 



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