On a Winter Garden. 25 



changeable pale bufF, Spanish brown, buff, rose, bright yellow, 

 &c., each separate sort on a clump; and I believe I am not 

 the only one who admires flowers in masses. On each side of 

 the summer-house there are edgings of the iJelleborus niger 

 or Christmas rose. Now, I must extend this description as 

 long as nature continues to assume the aspect of winter, say 

 till about Lady-day, for no deciduous trees or shrubs burst 

 their buds till after that period. 



Edgings of early spring flowers are round each clump, such 

 as Eranthus hyemalis or winter aconite; hepaticas, white, 

 blue, and red ; snowdrops, Persian Iris, primroses, violets, &c., 

 and a most extensive variety of crocus of all hues, more than 

 twenty sorts ; some of which are in bloom from the beginning 

 of February till the end of March. Likewise, the front edge 

 of the border, by the wall, consists of crocus ; the edge of 

 the evergreen border of Amaryllis lutea, which, being in the 

 shade, bloom late, and are in full flower from the beginning 

 of November till Christmas. 



I cannot describe the animating delight and satisfaction 

 which I feel when, in a sunny day, I throw up my dining- 

 room window, or am seated in the summer-house opposite, at 

 any time from November till April (I certainly except frost 

 and snow, for, as Virgil says, — 



" Ante focus, si frigiis erit, si messis, in umbra"); * 



I say my sensations are exquisite, when looking down on such 

 a beautiful assemblage of delightful colours, brought together 

 by the art of the horticulturist. In November the wall and 

 clumps display all the various hues of that delightful autumnal 

 flower, the chrysanthemum. Among the evergreens, the 

 scarlet blossoms and fruit of the arbutus, the pure white of 

 the snowberry, the yellow berries of the privet, the yellow and 

 scarlet berries of the hollies, the blossoms of the laurustinus, 

 the fiery berries of the Pyracantbus, are most conspicuous, 

 not to mention the charming variety of colours displayed in 

 the leaves of each kind. In December, to the end of the year, 

 the later kinds of chrysanthemums are in bloom ; indeed, 

 they may be called the flower which links the autumnal and 

 spring flowers, with pei'haps the exception of one link, which 

 January knocks out. That certainly is the only month in which 

 the borders are devoid of flowers ; for no sooner does February 

 commence, than, as Milton finely describes, — 



" When from mountain tops the dusky clouds 



Ascending, while the nortli wind sleeps, o'erspread 

 Heaven's cheerful face, the low'ring element 



* " Before the fire, if winter, if summer, in the shade." 



