XIII 



JUNE 



OLD ROSES WORTH GROWING 



June 8. The first rose, only the frail, briery, 

 Harrison's yellow that came overseas in 1830 and still 

 lingers in old gardens, but a June rose nevertheless. 



The garden of the long walk is all aflame with 

 the oriental poppies, and the fall planted Shirleys, as 

 if kindled by them, are carrying the fire line quite 

 down to the sun garden, the deep red colour paling 

 through all shades of scarlet, rose, and pink to blush- 

 edged white. The poppy though brief of days is the 

 garden hypnotist. Look steadily at a mass of these 

 glowing flowers blending their multicolours in the full 

 sunlight. At first their brilliancy is blinding ; then 

 as the petals undulate on the slender stems, your 

 attention is riveted as if a hundred eyes returned 

 your gaze, and drowsiness steals over you, for each 

 flower bears the spell of the hypnotic pod, whose 

 seeds bring sleep. 



244 



