THE PERGOLA 



flowers, they blend with everything else and separate any clashing 

 colors. The scarlet of the Oriental poppies, the lychnis, and the 

 salvia need careful management. They should have a far corner 

 to themselves, in the midst of fine greenery. Along the brick walk 

 the star of Bethlehem opens to the early sunshine, and the Virginia 

 waterleaf lifts her cups of nectar to the knowing bees. 



At the farther end of the border were sonic curious flat mul- 

 lein-like rosettes which I watched all one summer, but nothing 

 happened. The rain and heavy dew rested in great globules on 

 their thick hairy leaves, the sun shone as encouragingly upon them 

 as on the blossoms of the yellow cliamomile close by, but it was 

 not until the following year that my patience was rewarded. In a 

 night, apparently, a tall spray some two to three feet high suddenl y 

 shot from the middle of each rough rosette, bearing graceful rows 

 of curious long-lipped creamy flowers, and the battle of the bees 

 began. This white salvia is most amusing, such masking of 

 batteries, such bombarding of pollen; and, at the close, both 

 parties are victorious. 



How many blue flowers we find in this hardy border! The 

 Greek valerian, sent by a dear friend from the White Mountains, 

 has taken kindly to its new home, and in the middle of May fifty 

 great clusters of delicate blossoms greeted us at once. The whole 

 tribe of larkspur is a delight. To our surprise even the annuals 

 sowed themselves this year under the sweet-brier bushes and put 



forth great stalks of pure pink the exact tone of the roses above. 



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