82 MY GARDEN 



will grow in sun or shade, and lutea blooms all summer 

 until hard frost. 



In many places along the low walls Cat-mint, Nepeta 

 Mussini, slowly evolves from a gray curtain to a laven- 

 der veil. This splendid plant blooms all summer long, 

 and is one of the most useful and lovely things we have. 

 When in full flower, the small, aromatic gray leaves are 

 quite hidden by the crowding lavender flower spikes, but 

 in or out of bloom it is a plant of great charm. It stands 

 our hot, dry summers without flinching, is perfectly 

 hardy, but needs to be divided every year or so. 



By the last week in May summer has fairly come; the 

 June Irises are in possession and climbing Roses are in 

 turbulent bloom upon their walls and trellises. Over 

 night the tight, hairy caps of the Oriental Poppies have 

 burst, and one wakes to find great tongues of flame leap- 

 ing up in all directions. They are the torch-bearers of 

 the great, lavish queen Summer and the garden is "en 

 fete." When they are gone we shall see that here a 

 scarlet Lychnis has been kindled into life there, a 

 blood-red Pseony; across the garden a flight of English 

 Poppies burn their vivid lives away, and the torch of a 

 tawny Day Lily flares up. They stay just long enough 

 to let us have our fill of gorgeous colour longer, and 

 we should be satiated and find these daring things too 

 coarse and glaring, but Nature does not make such mis- 

 takes. Besides the orange-coloured and scarlet Oriental 

 Poppies there are some in softer shades : salmon, blush, 



