FERNS IN THE MIXED BORDER 29 



is often faded by midsummer. General 

 shabbiness is evaded by breaking away the 

 taller fronds and depending upon the maiden- 

 hair for continued beauty throughout the 

 latter part of the season. Even the visita- 

 tions of Jack Frost, which sadly humiliate 

 more imposing genera, are received with 

 comparative indifference because of this very 

 elasticity. 



THE COSMOPOLITAN FLOWERING FERN 



The royal fern (Osmund a spectahilis) is in- 

 dispensable. The simple elegance of the 

 species manifests itself in vernation, a period 

 when many ferns are a trifle uncanny. No 

 other fern is more deftly "done up," clothed 

 with softer wool, or coloured so exquisitely as 

 this. 



Ferns in general are but symphonies in 

 green, but here a prelude in Quaker drab 

 runs softly into the green, which complements 

 its colour scheme by a shading in and out of 

 rosy fawn deepening into golden brown. 



