A DESCRIPTION OF MY GARDEN 97 



Now, too, is the time of Crocus versicolor, that gem 

 of the Spring flowering group hailing from the sunny 

 south of France. It is surprising that it should prove 

 so good tempered in our variable weather, but if planted 

 in sandy loam and a little leaf-mould it seems quite 

 happy. It looks charming when the March sunshine 

 falls upon a colony of these blooms, with their white 

 or faintest lavender petals, veined with rich purple 

 blue, while glistening within this beautiful protecting 

 cup, the golden stamens gleam forth. (See page 88.) 



Towards the end of the month, Caltha palustris and 

 its much larger relative C. polypetala open their golden 

 flowers down by the pool side, and though the former 

 at least is a comparatively common plant, they are both 

 very welcome, since bog plants as a whole are less 

 early in their flowering than those in drier positions. 



When the soft days of April arrive we are surrounded 

 by flowers on every hand. The steeper parts of the 

 pool-side are draped with cataracts of Arabis, tumbling 

 down to meet the lovely Primula denticulata, in a 

 variety of shades which adorn the edge of the pool 

 while from the bog bed, rise on three foot hairy stalks 

 the inflorescence of Sax. peltata. 



Higher on the rock, in irregular streaks, strong 

 patches of richest purple denote the presence of Viola 

 gracilis, while not far off the shaggy nodding heads of 

 the lovely Pasque flower, Anemone Pulsatilla, gently 



