JOSEPH PLANTING THE GARDEN 101 
fact, phloxes have been very much cultivated of 
late, and many new varieties of them have become 
known. It is quite bewildering to read all their 
colours on Joseph’s labels. I rather think we shall 
have them in every shade and combination of colour 
except yellow. As yet I have not heard of a yellow 
phlox. The prospect of such a medley of colours 
is bewildering, and the only suggestion I was able 
to give Joseph about them was to put them in 
ground where there would be nothing else to flower 
while they monopolised attention. 
As I look at them set here and there about the 
triangle, I think that their stiff stalks and prim lit- 
tle leaves are decidedly ugly. Surely, they should 
bear beautiful heads of bloom to make up for this 
defect. 
Our ideas about the larkspurs were more definite. 
I especially love these flowers. Joseph bought 
only plants that would bear blue flowers, and he 
planted them in among the meadow-rues which he 
and Mr. Percy took from the woods. The flower 
of the meadow-rue is so insignificant as scarcely to 
be seen by people who are not botanists, while its 
foliage is exquisitely shaped and of a bright, beau- 
tiful green. The larkspurs raising their spikes of 
fantastic blue flowers among it will be most lovely. 
Mr. Percy helped Joseph transplant the meadow- 
rue ; and, so far, not one of the number has shown 
the slightest sign of dying. The work was much 
