156 GABDENS OF ENGLAND 



one of the most useful of hardy plants, and 

 smothered with soft purple-coloured flowers for 

 many weeks ; the sea hollies (^Eryngiums), the quite 

 hardy Geranium armenum, the goat's rue {Galega 

 officinalis), which is purplish in tone, and its pure 

 white variety Alba ; the scarlet geum, perennial sun- 

 flowers, Helenium pumilun ; hollyhocks, German 

 irises, the flame-flowers {Tritoma or Kniphofia), 

 the scarlet lychnis {L. chalcedomca), the bee balm 

 {Monarda didyma), one of the most scarlet of 

 flowers ; paeonies, montbretias, poppies, especially 

 the great Eastern poppy {Papaver orientale) ; 

 herbaceous phloxes, and here and there the large- 

 leaved saxifragas, which are better known as 

 megaseas. Where blanks occur the soil is covered 

 with half-hardy annuals, and the greatest favourites 

 are the lavender and white forms of the ostrich- 

 plume China aster. I have no great affection for 

 the more formal type of the China aster, but the 

 "ostrich-plume" is strongly reminiscent of the 

 Japanese chrysanthemum ; it is a flower of beautiful 

 colouring and dainty grace, and as welcome in the 

 border as it is in the house. 



Brilliant as this border was last summer and 

 into the autumn, it was the marriage of pansy and 

 rose that gave the greatest pleasure, and as my 



