94 THE STORY OF MY ROCK GARDEN 



burst into flower, showing us a green hummock spangled 

 with pale lemon-coloured blossoms ! 



The Hepaticas, too, quickly unfold their silky 

 growths and throw up their lovely blue anemone-like 

 flowers. With me the pink form is rather later it 

 being usually March before it opens. 



Of the Croci we now have quite a show, their 

 brilliant colourings causing them to stand out vividly 

 against the darker coloured background the most 

 attractive being the golden cups of C. chrysanthus, the 

 open flowers of C. Imperati, of a soft blue tending to 

 purple, among its unopened buds, the outside of which 

 are a curious creamy buff ; while most lovely of all 

 perhaps, is C. Sieberi, of the clearest lilac blue, with rich 

 yellow stamens. 



At this time come in small groups that effective 

 little Scilla bifolia, making such a brave show, long 

 before its relative 5. sibirica is open, forming as it were 

 miniature fountains of rich blue stars, while contrasted 

 with these are the dainty pendent white bells of 

 Leucojum vernum, somewhat like enlarged snowdrops, 

 though even more dainty. 



The flower I look for in February, however, with the 

 keenest anticipation, is that early gem, Ins reticulata. 

 This is an interesting member of a glorious genus. 

 Pushing through the ground in early January a sharp 

 pointed spear-like growth, it produces one four-sided 



