1 6 POPULAR GARDEN FLOWERS 



species amellus, which grows about two feet high, has 

 blue flowers with yellow disc, and came to England 

 from Italy as far back as 1596.) It is mid-October, and 

 the plant, which has been in flower several weeks, is 

 still full of bloom. It is growing in thin, fibreless soil 

 on a chalk bank, in spite of which it has spread to a 

 yard across by two and a half feet high, and is bearing 

 scores of flowers. (By the way, if the chalk bank does 

 not conduce to vigour, it does, I think, to richness of 

 colour ; and I may be pardoned a brief digression, the 

 object of which is to allude to the effects of chalky soil 

 on blue flowers. The blue annual Love-in-a-mist 

 (Nigella) luxuriates in chalk, bears huge flowers, and 

 colours brilliantly. Certain wild flowers that may be 

 white or pink on black lands become blue on chalk. 

 Veronicas form one example, and the blue Wood 

 Anemone, Robinsoniana, is found wild on the limestone.) 

 The beauty of my particular plant of Framfieldi is 

 typical of many others. Some bloom in August, some 

 in November. All are perfectly hardy. Many of the 

 species come from North America, others from Siberia, 

 and consequently no extremity of severe weather that 

 we have in Britain injures the plants. What does some- 

 times happen is the tarnishing of the flowers by frost, 

 but even this is not always fatal to the beauty of the 

 plants. If the assault is not a heavy one, and if the sun 

 does not strike direct on to the flowers early in the 

 morning, the flowers freshen up again. They justify 

 the figure of Dante in the Divina Commedia : 



" As florets, by the frosty air of night 



Bent down and closed, when day has blanched their leaves, 

 Rise all unfolded on their spiry stems ; 

 So was my fainting vigour new restored, 

 And to my heart such kindly courage ran, 

 That I as one undaunted soon replied." 



