Autumn Tints and Berries 
January in favoured districts, and is equally beautiful. 
Perhaps the most attractive, however, is Prunus 
Persica, the flowering peach, particularly the 
variety Clara Meyer. I do not know of anything 
to rival this shrub for exquisite and abundant colour 
in such a border. It bursts into flower whilst yet 
many of its deciduous companions surrounding it are 
just unfolding their soft green leaves, and in such an 
association has that ‘‘too good to be real’’ appear- 
ance that is often experienced by garden lovers in these 
early days of the year, when every day some new 
beauty unfolds itself to our pleasure. Berberis, too, 
must be included, and B. Wilsonz of them all should 
never be omitted. I do not know which phase of this 
exquisite shrub I like best—its yellow flowering period ; 
the early days when last year’s foliage has fallen and 
the tiny new leaves take their place (it is almost an 
evergreen), for in these early days the foliage bears 
all sorts of soft and beautiful tints ; then all through 
the summer the long, elegant branches arch and inter- 
lace, and it is one of those shrubs that even in its 
greenest period never looks ‘“‘heavy’’; but I think I 
like it best of all in the autumn and winter, when it 
smothers itself with cream-coloured berries that gradu- 
ally blush to softest pink, and finally attain a brilliant 
hue of coral. There are many other Berberis, some 
larger in growth, some evergreen, some deciduous, 
large leaved varieties, and small. Of all the evergreen 
forms I have yet to find one that surpasses the old 
B. Darwin in the rich glow of its orange flowers, 
unless perhaps B. stenophylla may be said to do so by 
virtue of its more graceful habit of growth. For an 
59 
