SMEATON-HEPBURN 



them. Two kinds of wind-flower, Anemone alpina 

 and palmata alba were in great beauty when I saw 

 these borders last ; and at that time, the end of May, 

 the most conspicuous wall shrubs were Ceanothus 

 rigidus sheeted with deep blue, and Coronilla emerus, 

 pointille or, as heralds would term it in plain language 

 sprinkled with clear canary yellow. Both these last 

 betoken a genial, sunny climate, albeit we are here a 

 long way north on the east coast. 



For the alpines, Sir Archibald has prepared a home 

 worthy of his treasures ; a wide space sheltered by 

 woods from cutting winds, yet lying fair to the sun, 

 having been covered with rock-work constructed with 

 far more attention to cultural requirements than to 

 scenic effect. Here is no tea-gardenish attempt to 

 mimic the Himalayas or ape the Andes ; the plants 

 are grouped upon raised ledges and mounds for the 

 double purpose of securing rapid drainage and of bring- 

 ing them under the eye for closer inspection ; while 

 rocks are employed, not for mere effect, but to check 

 radiation and evaporation, which, in excess, are the 

 two chief adversaries to plant growth, and to provide 

 a cool and natural root run for exacting mountaineers. 

 To do justice to this fine collection would have taken 

 more hours than I had to spare. Among the species 

 which their luxuriance made it impossible to overlook 

 were Gentiana verna, that capricious beauty so seldom 

 seen taking kindly to imprisonment ; Mitella trifida, 

 more attractive than the rest of the genus ; Saxifraga 

 rhei super ba, really justifying its additional epithet, 



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