The winter wanes. Spring is stealing out of the south. It is not with us yet, but it is near. There are blossoms on many shrubs, and the earth is bright with early bulbs. There are the yellow of Crocus and Winter Aconite, the purple of Colchicum, the blue of Glory of the Snow (Chionodoxa), and the white of Snowdrops and Snow-flakes. The last are of several kinds, and one of the earliest is Leucojum Vernum Carpathicum. Aestivum blooms later.

The shrubs are thickening with bloom. It is not every gardener who knows that there is a winter-flowering Rhododendron. Its name is Dauricum, and its colour mauve. It is a bright and beautiful representative of its great genus. The Heaths, notably Erica Lusi-tanica, with soft, pink, or creamy flowers, and the better known Carnea and Mediterranea, are in beauty. The newer one, Hybrida, should receive the attention of Heath lovers. The glittering yellow Forsythia Suspensa is expanding its trails of blossom. There is another beautiful yellow-flowered shrub of winter that blooms, like the Winter Jasmine, in advance of its leaves, producing charming little tassel-like tufts of bloom. It is Hamamelis Mollis, little known as yet, but certain to grow in favour as the years pass. The delicious Mezereon (Daphne) is an old favourite. It studs its branches with rosy flowers of spicy fragrance. The Star Magnolia (Stellata) is a March-flowering shrub of wonderful beauty, the great white flowers standing out boldly from the bare, dark stems.

We see, then, the dawn of spring, and with the stimulus of the flowers around us we are encouraged to provide for a display that will take up its tale when the winter flowers fade, and carry us on throughout the year.