CHAPTER VII 



A DESCRIPTION OF MY GARDEN AND ITS INHABITANTS 

 THE YEAR THROUGH 



I WILL here endeavour, in as brief a way as possible, to 

 give an idea of some of the little mountain plants 

 which interest me so much roughly as they come into 

 flower from January onwards. 



It must be understood that the time of flowering 

 of each of the plants mentioned is largely dependent 

 upon the kind of weather we happen to be favoured with 

 and this is especially so during the earlier months. 



Very many of the Croci, for example, show through 

 the ground before Christmas, and if the weather is 

 mild, as it often is, come rapidly into blossom ; if on 

 the other hand, it should continue frosty, they seem to 

 stand quite still for weeks, until a gleam of sun and a 

 mild day or two sees them develop in a most extra- 

 ordinary manner transforming themselves from 

 unopened buds in the crowns of the plants, to wide- 

 spread blossoms in, so to speak, a few hours. 



January is usually ushered in with a few of the 

 yellow flowers of Crocus vitellinus, in sheltered corners 



