WALLFLOWERS 149 



dunes to keep them, as far as possible, from shift- 

 ing and encroaching inland. 



"The rude stone fence with fragrant wallflowers gay," 



that gave such pleasure to Scott, will appeal no 

 less to ourselves, and a wallflower-less rock-garden 

 seems a thing well-nigh unimaginable. There are 

 few more interesting hunting grounds to a plant- 

 lover than a length of old wall, be it but a field- 

 fence or some venerable castle, centuries old, slowly 

 crumbling into ruin, 1 fringed with wall-rue, decked 

 with the waving stems of the dog-rose, bearing 

 their wealth of dainty blossoming or the scarlet 

 hips, giving shelter to the hoary viper's-bugloss, the 

 quaint snapdragon, the patches of golden stone- 

 crop, great masses of crimson valerian, and the 

 fragrant blossom that amidst all is pre-eminently 

 called the wallflower. 



To ensure the successful growth of our plants, 

 we may either sow the seed in crannies of our rock- 

 work in August or in March, covering it over 

 carefully with fine soil, or we plant in April the 



1 "Yon roofless tower, 

 Where wallflower scents the dewy air." 



BURNS. 



" Flowers of the solitary place 

 Grey ruin's golden crown." 



MOIR. 



