1 86 
HERBACEOUS GARDEN 
crown imperials, the pale yellow one being 
especially handsome. If a very moist spot is at 
hand, plant some of the snake’s head fritillaria ; 
they are no good in a border, but in grass, and 
especially if they can be flooded in the winter, 
they are delightful flowers, growing 6 inches 
to a foot high, in curious, spotted-purple colours, 
and also in white, pale yellow, reddish-brown, 
and grey and lilac, all spotted. These grow 
wild in many riverside meadows in Berkshire, 
and are sold in large bunches in the small shops 
and in the market at Reading in spring. 
For some sheltered nook like this an in- 
formal design with winding walks is better 
than straight paths and formal borders. As 
a large space is not needed, these winding 
walks tend to make it seem larger, and give 
/ much greater length of edging, which is what 
is needed for such low-growing plants. 
Perhaps a bank of earth may be thrown up 
in one place, and then the corresponding 
hollow on the other side of the path will not 
only give variation, but will be useful to grow 
the moisture-loving species in. The paths 
should not be of grass, which is wet and 
slippery in early spring, but should be of some 
firm material like gravel or shingle, so as to 
ensure dry feet, or they could be paved irregu- 
