AUGUST 107 



relation of colouring, of greyish foliage and low-toned 

 pink bloom mth the dusky spaces of purplish-grey 

 shadow, are a precious lesson to the colour-student. 



The fern-walk is at its best. It passes from the 

 garden upwards to near the middle of the copse. The 

 path, a wood-path of moss and grass and short-cut 

 heath, is a little lower than the general level of the 

 wood. The mossy bank, some nine feet wide, and 

 originally cleared for the purpose, is planted with large 

 groups of hardy Ferns, with a preponderance (due to 

 preference) of Dilated Shield Fern and Lady Fern. 

 Once or twice in the length of the bank are hollows, 

 sinking at their lowest part to below the path-level, for 

 Osmunda and Blechnum. When rain is heavy enough 

 to run down the path it finds its way into these hollow 

 places. 



Among the groups of Fern are a few plants of 

 true wood-character — Linrma, Truntalis, Goodyera, and 

 Trillium. At the back of the bank, and stretching 

 away among the trees and underwood, are wide-spread- 

 ing groups of Solomon's-seal and Wood-rush, joining 

 in with the wild growth of Bracken and Bramble. 



Most of the Alpines and dwarf-groAving plants, 

 whose home is the rock-garden, bloom in May or June, 

 but a few flower in early autumn. Of these one of 

 the brightest is Buta patavina, a dwarf plant with 

 lemon-coloured flowers and a very neat habit of growth. 

 It soon makes itself at home in a sunny bank in poor 

 soil. Pterocephalus Parnassi is a dwarf Scabious, with 



