NIGHT IN THE GARDEN 



63 



taraxicifolia), originally imported from America. Not so 

 pure a white are the larger blossoms of another evening 

 primrose {Oe. marginatd) which is just beginning to send 

 forth from the border a fragrance as of magnolias. The 

 old double white Rocket {Hesperis matromlis), or Damask 

 Violet, as it was formerly called, smells more strongly 

 as evening draws in, and its scent now takes on the 

 character of the scent of Violets. Even more noticeable 

 is the delicious fragrance which begins to be yielded by 

 the Night-scented Stock (Hesperis tristis), a fragrance 

 which will continue until the commencement of the 

 dawn. In the presence of these happenings, we begin 

 to realise that the garden is not after all asleep. Indeed, 

 we see that a part at least of the living beauty of nature 

 only awakes at the approach of night. 



Convention rules over us, and in the most unlikely 

 places we see those unadaptive, stereotyped results 

 which mark the realms where she is sovereign. How 

 otherwise can we account for the fact that, although 

 evening is the best time for enjoying the flowers of our 

 gardens during the months of July and August, few 

 gardeners ever think of devoting any part of their 

 borders to the cultivation of flowers which bloom at 

 night ? Yet the pleasure to be obtained from them is 

 very great, and the possible variety is considerable. 

 Nearly all are fragrant, as otherwise it would be difl5cult 

 in the darkness for them to attract the moths which 

 they mostly desire as pollen bearers. 



None of these flowers of night are more remarkable 

 than Si/ene nutans, one of our native catchflies (so called 

 from their viscid stems which prevent ants and creeping 

 things from reaching and robbing the honey stores), 

 which may occasionally be seen growing on limestone 

 rocks. This plant bears many large white flowers 

 during June and July, each flower living but for three 

 nights. At about seven o'clock of the first evening. 



