§J The Scented Qarden (^ 



The scent of the crocuses would be almost imperceptible 

 from the single flowers, but from the masses it is warm and 

 exquisite, and in the sunlight the clumps look like masses 

 of translucent gold caught not out of the sunlight but 

 out of the sun itself. It is curious how colour seems to 

 alter the character of a crocus flower. Yellow and golden 

 crocuses look almost riotously happy, but all the mauve 

 varieties have a placid dreamy appearance. Of the very 

 early-flowering varieties C. imperati is always described 

 as scented, but it does not seem to be more scented than 

 some of the other varieties, especially the commonest 

 of the yellow and gold-coloured kinds. From the point of 

 view of decorative effect nothing touches the Dutch 

 yellow crocus (C. vernus). No one knows its origin. It is 

 probably of garden origin, for it is sterile, and it has never 

 been found growing wild. It increases by throwing off 

 little corms. If planted in grass the grass should never be 

 mown till the crocus leaves have quite withered, otherwise 

 the corms will suffer badly. Though the bees love crocuses 

 grown in clumps the birds do not seem to attack them as 

 much as crocuses planted singly, or if they do, their 

 depredations are not so apparent. What the birds love 

 in them is the tiny drop of nectar to be found in each 

 flower. What with one thing and another crocuses have 

 many enemies. Field mice, the mischievous grey squirrel 

 and rats all enjoy eating the corms, and if planted near 

 the surface nothing will stop pheasants pecking them out. 

 The scents and sounds of spring remind one of St. 

 Bride, the patron saint of the first flowers, young children 

 and lambs. For February is the month of St. Bride of 

 the kindly flame, the gentle mother of all young and 

 tender things Her ways are ways of gentleness. Through 

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