JUNE 121 



the skull," the peony being, therefore, in the 

 symbolic medicine of that day, "very available 

 against falling sickness." 



In spite of this, however, the peony is 

 eminently the flower of good health, and there 

 are certain people of whom I am always re- 

 minded by it ; people who are delightful at 

 a dinner party, but from whose presence in 

 sickness or sorrow one shrinks as from a blow. 

 Charming, well - dressed, graceful, generous, 

 opulent, the peony is for robust health and 

 honest animal enjoyment, not for sentiment. 



It is for the sentiment that made me plant 

 the dwarf flags in April, and the Florentine 

 iris in May, that I would have as many of 

 the late flowering iris as possible in my June 

 garden. Named for the rainbow, and dedi- 

 cated to St Genevie"ve, it is no wonder that 

 they were the chosen emblems of kings, and 

 stood for courage, and chivalry, and high en- 

 deavour. They carry their history in their 

 faces, and a bed of them is a battalion of 

 swords and a blazonment of many banners. 

 Like flights of Cingalese or Brazilian butterflies ; 

 like wonderful tropical orchids, they flutter 

 in the warm breezes. No wonder that where 



