3 JUNE 1938, Page 18

In the Garden When first brought here from the mountains

of Asia by Mr. Kingdon Ward, the blue meconopsis, now known as betonifolia, seemed to many of us the very loveliest of all flowers. The OPar blue of the wide petals, the golden centre and the comely habit combined into a picture that was almost unrivalled. The admiration has waned partly because it is difficult to maintain the purity of the blue ; and though it grows very readily from seed, many people have failed to grow it in its proper beauty. It was some while before the specialists decided whether it was properly annual, biennial or perennial.. The vogue of the meconopsis should be increased by the newer additions to the class. The members of the family are mostly named from the Shape of the foliage,

integrifolia and the rest. The yellow-flowered sorts (taking the colour of " the Welsh poppy," which is in this class) have not the full attraction of the blue ; but almost all the examples of the meconopsis (Bayleyi form) are a real addition to the garden. They are to be seen flowering in considerable' perfection in some of the nursery gardens of