20 LONDON PARKS © GARDENS 
and records plants seen in the quaintest places, such as 
the water-radish, which he says grew “ in the joints or 
chincks amongst mortar of a stone wall that bordereth 
upon the river Thames by the Savoy in London, which 
yee cannot finde but when the tide is much spent.” 
Pennyroyal “ was found on the common near London 
called Miles ende,” “ from whence poore women bring 
plentie to sell in London markets.” The rare adders- 
tongue and great wild valerian grew in damp meadows, 
the fields abounded with all the more common wild 
flowers, and such choice things as the pretty little 
“ ladies’ tresses,” grew on the common near Stepney, 
while butcher’s broom, cow wheat, golden rod, butterfly 
orchis, lilies of the valley and royal fern, wortleberries and 
bilberries covered the heaths and woods of Hampstead and 
Highgate. Many another flower is recorded by Gerard, 
who must have had a keen and observant eye which 
could spot a rare water-plant in a ditch while attending 
an execution at Tyburn ! yet he meekly excuses his want 
of knowledge of where a particular hawkweed grew, 
saying, “ I meane, God willing, better to observe heerafter, 
as oportunitie shall serve me.” That power of observa¬ 
tion is a gift to be fostered and encouraged, and were 
that achieved by education in Council Schools, a great 
success would have been scored, and probably it would 
be more fruitful in the child’s after life than the scattered 
crumbs from countless subjects with which the brain is 
bewildered. The wild flowers could still be enticed 
within the County of London, and species, which used 
to make their homes within its area, might be induced 
at least to visit some corners of its parks. The more 
dingy the homes of children are, the more necessary it 
must be to bring what is simple, pure, and elevating to 
