The Garden in its Glorij 



winter to make a true spring possible. For 

 that splendid awakening from a long sleep we 

 must go north — to England It may be In late 

 April or early May ; better still perhaps to 

 Norway In early June. We have a semblance 

 of it In the upland gardens, where daffodils and 

 anemones and violets rival or surpass their 

 English brethren, and the leafless branches 

 of the magnolias are smothered in delicate 

 blossoms. But In the lowlands spring smiles 

 perennial — wherefore It Is not spring. 



" Hie ver assiduum, atque alienis raensibus aestas," 



if It be permissible to disregard the parlia- 

 mentary maxim, " Don't quote Latin," a tongue 

 no longer generally understanded of the 

 members. We miss that peculiar freshness 

 of the spring-flowering shrubs, the sudden 

 burst of colour in the rock-garden, the rainbow 

 tints of the spring bulbs. Even tulips are 

 implacable. Such spring flowers as we have, 

 if they have not bloomed at Intervals during 

 the winter months, lack the foil which the still 

 wintry aspect of the surrounding vegetation 

 supplies at home. Nor does the countryside 

 show anything to approach that glorious wealth 



265 



