THE WHITE ROCKERY 71 



pendula, berberis dulcis nana, and cenothera speciosa. 

 This last has to be watched sharply. He is good, 

 but, like his neighbour, convolvulus althaeoides, a great 

 subterranean traveller. There are other far nobler 

 cenotheras than this, however, and these occur else- 

 where. Of bulbs and corms 1 I speak presently. 

 They are scattered everywhere in this rock-border, 

 and they come up at all times from the early days 

 of chionodoxa and snowdrop, to the last blooms of 

 tigridia, cypella Herberti, colchicum and autumn 

 crocus, and the first of iris alata and winter 

 crocus. 



One way of treating gladiolus I may mention here. 

 I closely plant the ' bride/ blandus, and other small 

 and lovely sorts in dozens, and they spring up and 

 break the lines of the stones, and shake out little 

 sheaves of white, or rose, or peach-blossom colour 

 above the carpets of the smaller plants. A grand old 

 gardener taught me to do this, as well as many, many 

 other things. Such enthusiasm as belonged to him 

 I never met in any calling. He is the greatest hor- 

 ticulturist that I have known. His Indian garden 

 must have been a vision of glory. He has an eye 

 for a rose that is simply a revelation to ordinary 

 people, and he can make anything and everything 

 grow. I think nothing baffles him ; and his hybrid 

 begonias and daffodils were a dream of beauty. 

 Let me celebrate with all due honour, ceremony, 



1 Bulbs and corms. But I see ixia has pushed into this chapter. Just 

 what one might expect of him. He and sparaxis always make a race for 

 it, and many a frost-pinch they get for their pains. 



