9 6 
THE HEART OF A GARDEN 
orange-tawny boss like the back of a humble-bee, and 
borne gracefully aloft upon light, strong stems of a 
certain purplish-black that makes for an indescribable 
effect of dignity to the grouping. While, among the 
annuals, where choice seems, perhaps, more difficult, 
mine alights with but little hesitation upon the Lenti- 
cularis, whose lofty branching growth, exquisitely 
curved foliage, and bright, dark-centred flowers are 
eloquent of vigour and beauty alike. In a multitude of 
Sunflowers, however, there is undoubtedly wisdom; 
wherefore, although I have—as who would not?—my 
favourites, I use ever a wide catholicity in my sowing, 
from the Cyclopean Unijlorus down to the comparatively 
insignificant Cucumerifolius , for variety’s sake. Yet it is 
not for variety, but simply because of its own romantic 
merits, that the rare pale Moon-flower finds place here 
year upon year, expanding its silvery primrose-tinted 
petals beside the fuller radiance of its flamboyant kin. 
Another amber-robed divinity of the wild garden is the 
CEnothera , whose reign begins with twilight and ceases 
at sunrise. You would never dream, seeing her faded 
finery by day, of how through the dark hours the 
garden is all alight with her yellow lamps, but so it is. 
Melisande, who supped with me in the loggia an 
evening or so since, was all remorse because, mistaking 
for weeds the humble-seeming seedlings, she had 
plucked all hers up, unwitting, in the spring, and thus 
must needs forego in her proper demesne this enchanted 
hour of soft and luminous colour. I have, I think, 
added something to the charm by a liberal inter-planta¬ 
tion of the Nicotiana’s pearly trumpets that exhale a 
