RICH VARIETY OF FLOWERS 33 



and filling the air with their fragrance. The globe- 

 flowers are bearing freely their golden spheres, and 

 the quaint columbines are in rich variety. In a 

 sheltered corner the lilies of the valley are unfolding 

 their delicate pure white bells, companioned by the 

 long lines of pendant blossoms of the Solomon's- 

 seal. The London-pride is in full luxuriance, and 

 the evergreen alkanet is splendid with its masses of 

 intense blue blossom, while beneath the shade of the 

 rapidly unfolding ferns the silver stars of the wood- 

 ruff give us bright welcome. The Claytonia Clay- 

 tonia sibirica an American wildling that is gradually 

 establishing itself on this side of the Atlantic, is in 

 profusion with its multitudinous pink stars, while 

 the yellow anemone the A. ranunculoides so sug- 

 gestive in flower and foliage of the buttercup, is 

 passing away. The herb Robert is in abundance 

 in the chinks and crannies, a mass of graceful foliage, 

 from which rise the pink stellate flowers, while 

 alongside we see the golden cruciform blossoms 

 and richly cut foliage of the celandine, and in a shel- 

 tered corner we find the quaint spathe of the wild 

 arum unfolding amidst its glossy sagittate leaves. 

 The bistort stands gracefully erect ; divers saxifrages 

 are in welcome evidence amidst the rock masses, 

 and the yellow tuberous comfrey is at its best, while 

 the ox-eyes, the delicate lady's-mantle, the boldly 

 upspringing meadow-crowfoot, the great clumps of 

 red valerian, and many other plants, are well in bud. 



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