H4 THE STORY OF MY ROCK GARDEN 



marbled with white. The seed stems, as I mentioned 

 earlier, coil themselves into a spiral, and so draw down 

 the fruit to the earth. The white variety is illustrated 

 by the photograph on page 97. 



November usually gives us but little that is really 

 fresh, and the garden is mostly decorated by the 

 remnants of the earlier months, or plants which are 

 flowering a second time, and so out of their regular 

 season. Nevertheless, there is usually quite a number 

 of things to be seen while the most showy of all are 

 the lovely cobalt blue flowers of Plumbago Larpenta, 

 thickly mantling the tuft of bronzy crimson leaves. 

 This plant is a native of China, and despite my 

 cold, heavy soil, thrives apace, and is indeed a 

 " beauty " so late in the year ! At this time, too, 

 Primula capitata often sends up its flowers, and if 

 protected by a roof glass, will remain in good con- 

 dition until mid-December, or even later. 



With the exception of the Christmas Rose, whose 

 charming softly-tinted blossoms are now at their 

 best, rising from among the much divided dark green 

 foliage, and whose appearance we have anticipated 

 with the greatest pleasure, December in my garden 

 produces little or nothing I have not already mentioned 

 in the way of flowers. Usually there are a number of 

 late comers still lasting, and occasionally a few early 

 things, even earlier than is their wont. 



