COLOUR IN MY GARDEN 



greens that formed a windbreak for my mother's Rose 

 garden. There was the "old crimson," which is yet one of 

 my favourite Peonies and exhibits almost the richest colour 

 that I know. There was a full pink sort that we children 

 called the "strawberry-ice-cream Peony," and there was a 

 loose-petalled white one, probably some garden form of the 

 old double albiflora. 



When, after an interval of many years, this old gar- 

 den in New York State became my home, I was happy 

 to find those sweet and wholesome friends of my child- 

 hood growing in the tangled dooryard — that is the crim- 

 son and the "strawberry-ice-cream" were here, but not 

 the white one. There are improvements upon these primi- 

 tive sorts now offered us, but I have not had the opportunity 

 to see them. Paeonia tenuifolia is a very fine warm-toned 

 crimson Peony with deeply imbricated petals that blooms 

 in May; it has a double form. Wittmanniana, obovata 

 and albiflora Whitleyi are exquisite Paeonia species to be 

 grown by those who care for the chaste beauty' of a shell-like 

 flower with golden stamens. I believe they are not more 

 difficult than other Peonies to grow, only requiring a rich, 

 deep soil, light shade, and to be left quite alone. 



The Chinese Tree Peony (P. Moutan) flowers in early 

 May. This is shrubby in character, though Mr. Reginald 

 Farrer* says it "is less a shrub indeed, than incarnate 

 beauty itself." After reading Mr. Farrer's description of 

 the Tree Peony, I would not venture to attempt an account 

 of its charms myself, so I will take the liberty of giving his: 

 "The Tree Peony of the East is a loose, arrogant splendour; 



*"Alpines and Bogplants." 



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