170 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Datura, and it will be seen no more in the garden. These beautiful 

 things are shy in their own way, seeming to understand when they are 

 not much wanted. Tansy, with leafage " infinitely jagged and nicked 

 and curled withal like feathers " (so described in Parkinson), has also for 

 reasons of its own quitted the garden ; and last June, a patch of it, 

 avoided by the cows, gave the sole touch of fresh green in all our dried-up 

 meadow. The day of a school feast, a party of white-frocked little girls 

 sitting in the midst of this fresh and brilliant Tansy — busy tying up 

 aromatic posies of its emerald sprigs — made a picture to. be remembered 

 long. On the east side of the house close under the drawing-room 

 windows, in a sort of earth hem six inches wide, suddenly appeared one 

 summer a single plant of Claytonia perfoliata, holding the flower-head 

 upright in the middle of its strange little green saucer. Immediately it 

 became a favourite weed. We have had difficulties in the matter of 

 keeping it alive. There was an under-gardener who persisted in mowing 

 it down. It did no harm in the position it had chosen ; strict orders had 

 been given not to meddle with the little plant ; yet whenever this unlucky 

 youth's turn came to tidy up, the Claytonia was sure to be annihilated. 

 Once I hurried to stand guard over my weed — as "Baggs," looking 

 dangerous, came near — and again forbade him to touch it. Yet next 

 morning it was away, as usual. Nothing will cure an unskilled garden 

 labourer's ardour for destroying the wrong thing. "Baggs" has long 

 been a thing of the past, and Claytonia perfoliata lives and multiplies in 

 peace. Close under an aged Apple espalier, for several years past, has 

 flourished a splendid root of Wild Hyacinth (Scilla nutans). Somehow, 

 although constantly increasing in size and in depth of colour, it has 

 never lost the thin spare character of a true wild flower. Once on a 

 time there came a plant of Tway-blade (Listera ovata). Dog Violets flower 

 here and there like little amethyst gems ; and a new variety, very pale in 

 hue, has appeared. In the month of May Wild Hyacinth — blue and 

 white and pink — adopts the garden for its own. In May, too, Woodruffe 

 makes sweet the air in different parts of the garden. These last are weeds 

 imported from elsewhere. 



Late in June one becomes aware of the slender eager springing of 

 Avens (Gcum urbanum), wherever there is shade of shrubs or trees. I 

 like to see it — in moderation — and it suits well its pretty names of 1 Gold- 

 star ' and 1 Erba Benedetta ' ; though certainly not unlike a tall 

 mistaken Buttercup. With small petals and bunch of brown central 

 stamens it makes but little show. 



Then there are what may be called national weeds, weedy plants 

 which are mostly only too inherent and native to the soil of every English 

 garden. Of these are the hateful Summer Cress, and Shepherd's Purse 

 with its little heart-shaped satchels, so neat and tidy-looking in its 

 habit ; and Enchanter's Nightshade — which for all its magic name is a 

 pest and would fain, if we let it, annex the garden altogether — and pink- 

 flowered Willow-weed, which we should make much of were it only rare ; 

 and Coltsfoot, which I love. And in our garden orchard — as indeed wher- 

 ever deep Meadow Grass is growing all over the country in the spring 

 time of the year, come those dear favourites of childhood, the innocent 

 Cuckoo Flowers, or Lady's Smock (Cardaminc pratensis). Besides these 



