88 
NATURE NOTES 
many cases when taken singly, they form in the aggregate such 
glorious displays of colour and contrast that they could scarcely 
fail to awaken the praise of the most thoughtless passer-by, 
could he or she be induced to glance for a moment at their 
beauty. Very few, however, do look at the flowers. Almost all 
those who go along the road are desirious of getting from one 
point to another as quickly as possible, and they are so 
wrapped up in their own affairs as to be quite indifferent to 
the feast of colour that Nature strews so near them with such 
a bounteous hand. It is difficult for them to avoid brushing the 
dust from the silver-weed leaves with their feet as they hurry 
forward, yet, strange to say, nine out of every ten who pass 
never even glance at the flowers on the bank. 
The silver-weed is the advance guard or pioneer of wayside 
vegetation ; it fears neither dust nor danger from passing traffic, 
but thrusts its long suckers far beyond the boundary marked out 
by the grass. These suckers catch the eye and lead the glance 
from the dust of the highway to dwell upon the beauties of the 
bank and hedgerow. Forcing themselves upon the notice more 
from the prominent position that they occupy, near to the close- 
cropped thorn hedge, than from any special beauty that they 
possess “ Jack-in-the-hedge ” plants flourish exceedingly. The 
tall luxuriant stems of pea-green leaves, topped by scanty umbels 
of tiny white flowers, cannot well be over-looked ; nevertheless 
the plant is not a favourite. 
Lower down, there are vast clumps of the red dead nettle, 
making patches of dull crimson in this wayside tapestry ; and 
again, close by are the tall white “ archangels,” many of them 
weighed over by big clinging bumble-bees, which are unceasing 
in their attention now that the weather has really become 
warmer. 
Further along, the charming celestial blue of the germander 
speedwell is a prominent tint ; the colour seems heightened 
in intensity by contrast with the white stellaria flowers growing 
near. The speedwell may justly claim a moment’s special 
notice — for was ever a blue more lovely or perfect than is the 
colour of its blossoms ? Possibly honours must be divided in 
this respect with the summer chicory, but with this exception 
it would be a hard task to discover a more gloriously satisfying 
tint among the flora of our islands. The blue of the speedwell 
is in itself a sufficient reward for many a mile of dusty road 
traversed. Again proceeding, a fresh plant seems to sue for 
notice at every step. Trailing pink vetches, wild strawberry 
blossoms, ground ivy, delicate yellow bank buttercups, and wild 
heartsease or pansies, all these and many more are seen dropped 
carelessly from Nature’s hand, here many, there few, without 
design or order. And the beauty is not one whit lessened 
by the lack of arrangement. Nay, it is rather enhanced, for the 
wildness of the whole gives an added charm to each leaf and 
blossom. At times an involuntary sense of wonder fills the 
