176 FLOWER-FIELDS OF ALPINE SWITZERLAND 



Pride {Saxifraga cuneifolia) and the little Yellow 

 Violet ; so, also, will the May Lily or False Lily- 

 of-the-Valley {Smilaci?ia bifolia). In England, 

 Astrantia major, when found, is said to seek the 

 partial shade of copse and spinny, but here on 

 these Alpine fields it is in the full sunshine — and 

 looking very much the better for such boldness. 

 It is as though the higher plants climb, the less 

 they fear the light, extraordinarily searching though 

 this latter be; it is as though they revel in the 

 purity, and, casting retirement to the winds, take 

 on a new and healthier joy in life. 



There is, perhaps, just one other matter calling 

 for special attention : the grouping of colours. 

 Alpine fields own immense variety in this regard. 

 Some will be almost of uniform tint, while others 

 are of a bewildering, diverse blend. One will be 

 blue and white {Campanula rhomboidalis and Ox- 

 eye Daisy) ; another will be blue and red {Salvia 

 pratensis and Lychnis diocia) ; another, yellow and 

 pink (the Globe-Flower and the Bistort) ; while 

 another will be a close, irregular mixture of 

 some score or more of colours, with no one in 

 particular predominating. Although Nature in 

 her wildness is almost invariably "happy," it is 

 only natural that some of her results should be 



