MY HERBACEOUS GARDEN 195 
too much traffic there, and after a year or 
two grass was replaced by the bricks, which 
are bordered on one side with an edging of 
“ Mrs Sinkins ” pinks, and on the other by 
purple pansies and light blue nemophila. 
These two, planted alternately, are in bloom 
all spring and summer. The pansy, a very 
hardy, fine, and richly coloured tufted “ self,” 
was given me some years ago by a Welsh 
stationmaster who heard me admire it and 
sent me some cuttings. The nemophila is 
sown in September and pricked out into posi- 
tion in March, from the seed-bed. Behind 
these again are some of the newer dwarf roses, 
and at the foot of the peach and apricot trees 
against the south wall are clumps of Iris stylosa . 
This lovely mauve flower, looking like a 
Cattleya orchid, is very capricious. In some 
soils it takes six years before it flowers, while 
in a hard, gritty border with chalk and mortar- 
rubble, and growing in among the roots of 
everlasting peas and roses, it flowers in quantity 
from December to March. Belladonna lilies 
are also at the foot of the wall. They want 
a richer soil and plenty of sun, and take time 
to establish before flowering. 
The border at the foot of the wall facing 
east is edged with white pinks and has 
