202 
PREPARING FOR SPRING 
come. They lend a charm even to the frozen ground 
by their symmetrical outlines and torpid promise of 
renewed life. In spring they will speedily wither as 
the strong, coarse stalk rises from the ground. Some 
of the outer points of the circles are already turning 
brown. 
There are other decorative rosettes nestling close 
on the hard, frozen surface. The Viper's Bugloss, 
branded by an unsympathetic community as a 
noxious weed, in spite of the bright picturesque 
aspect of its blue, bristling spikes of flowers, appears 
like dark green stars under the withered grass and 
sedges. Its coarser and bristling texture distinguishes 
it from the evening primrose. In summer it displays 
a decorative scheme peculiarly its own, coarsely 
picturesque, with unfolding spikes of small blue 
tubular flowers relieved by pink buds and red pro- 
truding stamens. The best time to study the wild 
flowers is all the year round. The Shepherd's Purse, 
more conspicuous as a weed than as a flower, now 
takes on a fine rosette form and lies close to the 
ground, its deeply-lobed leaves in a less regular circle 
presenting an excellent decorative effect. In summer 
its little, two-lobed, purse-like seed pods will be more 
conspicuous than its diminutive white flowers. Just 
now it is at its best. The Saxifrage spreads a little 
irregular bunch of leaves on the ground, seeming 
eager for a chance to hide away under the snow* 
