106 HOME AND GARDEN 



exactly beautiful, but have a curious squareness of 

 plan, still further accentuated by the four stamens 

 also squarely planted at the inner angles of the petals. 

 Close to the Lady's-Mantle, and also within hand- 

 reach, is a frequent weed, but a weed so lovely that I 

 let it be — the common Speedwell. I remember how 

 delighted I was as a child when I found out for myself 

 how the two lines of fur that run up the stalks between 

 each pair of leaves, changed sides with the next pair of 

 leaves, and ran up the other sides, and how I used to 

 think the little blue flower itself had something the look 

 of a tiny Pansy. I suppose this impression arose from 

 the veins gathering to the middle to a firmer depth of 

 blue, and then giving place to a white eye. 



My little rock-garden is never without some stretches 

 of the common Thrift, which I consider quite an indis- 

 pensable plant. Its usefulness is not confined to the 

 flowering season, for both before and after, the cushion- 

 like growths of sober greenery are helpful in the way 

 of giving an element of repose and quietude to a 

 garden-space whose danger is always an inclination 

 towards unrest and general fussiness. And it should 

 be cautiously placed with regard to the colour of the 

 neighbouring flowers, for its own pink is of so low- 

 toned a quality that pinks brighter and purer spoil it 

 completely. I should say its best companions would 

 be some of the plants of woolly foliage and whitish 

 flower such as Cerastium or the mountain Cud-weeds. 



