JANUARY 179 



January 20^/i. It is a constant disappointment to me 

 that I cannot get the Tussilago fragrans called Winter 

 Heliotrope, with its delicious fragrant spikes of flowers, to 

 bloom, here. It is quite hardy, and a weed supposed to 

 grow anywhere, but I never get anything except a few 

 leaves. This of course is in consequence of the dryness, 

 the poorness of the soil, and the want of shade, as it has 

 such a weedy growth I cannot put it into any good 

 border. It is a distinct loss, not getting these flowers in 

 mid-winter. I should recommend everyone who has a 

 damp corner to try and grow them. They are not showy, 

 but when picked their delicious scent will pervade a 

 whole room. 



Rue, which is sometimes grown in kitchen gardens, 

 though I think seldom used now in cookery, is hardly ever 

 grown in shrubberies, where it makes in winter a charming 

 feature. I find few people know that the French name for 

 the plant is exactly the same as in English. Some people 

 think the strong odour disagreeable, but I myself think it 

 delicious. It is very useful to pick for winter bouquets, 

 and the beautiful gray-blue of its foliage contrasts well 

 with ordinary evergreens. If picked hard, that is as good 

 as cutting it back, and only promotes its growth. It ip 

 very easy to grow either from cuttings, divisions of the 

 tufts, or seeds. Dryness, though making it look rather 

 poor in summer, does it no harm for the next winter. 

 Another plant that does admirably here in the light soil is 

 Santolina (Lavender Cotton), and should always be grown 

 for its pretty hoary foliage It mixes well with some 

 flowers, and is one of those plants that surprises one by 

 its absence from any garden. 



The lower part of the stage in my larger greenhouse 

 I do not mean my little show one near the drawing-room 

 has been a veritable widow's cruse for me this winter. 

 We have constantly had Mushrooms from our bed covered 



N2 



