AN ISLAND GARDEN 12 1 



glass, for this opens so many unknown gates into 

 the wonders and splendors of Creation. There 

 is such wealth of ornament, such marvelous sub- 

 tile thought spent on the smallest blossom ! The 

 " sweet and cunning hand of Nature " is so lavish 

 of its work, and it is all so happy, the joy is so 

 inexhaustible, the refreshment to the human soul 

 so heavenly ! 



The fragrant fringes of the Mignonette, how 

 surprising and curiously beautiful they are under 

 the little pocket microscope ! What elaboration 

 of detail, what tempered harmonies of color, what 

 marvels of construction ! I reach my hand for a 

 blossom of Coreopsis Coronata some one has let 

 fall on the step, what a refulgent flower! There 

 is something Spanish about its aspect always to 

 me. There are eight yellow velvet petals deeply 

 toothed at the edges, and rich embroideries in 

 red about the warmer yellow of the centre. Gor- 

 geous it is, and so is its relative, Coreopsis Drum- 

 mondii, and both have a double row of sepals, the 

 row nearest the corolla brown and thin and light, 

 the outer one much coarser and bright green. 

 The centre of the Drummondii is more like the 

 wild Rudbeckia, with markings not so ornate as 

 the Coronata, but in a mass, and of a brighter, 

 clearer red. All this family of flowers, Lanceo- 

 lata, Golden Banner, the deep scarlet and maroon 

 varieties, are superb and most decorative. 



It is a great temptation to linger over the love- 

 liness of every flower that unfolds, but I spare 

 my patient readers, and leave them to pursue 

 these fascinating researches for themselves. 



