6 MAY 1938, Page 17

The People of the North People in the less fortunate

south of our island are apt to think of Scotland as chiefly distinguished by its moors and hills and so-called forests, all perhaps a little bleak when compared with the garden country of southern and midland England ; but it is well to remember that a goodly number of the loveliest garden flowers find their optimum in Scotland. One of these is the most beautiful of all flowers (as it seems to me) more or less recently introduced to this country, the blue meconopsis brought by Mr. Kingdon Ward from the Himalayas. There is an Aberdeenshire garden, famous chiefly for its primulas, where this poppy seeds itself freely, and snakes

drifts of colour that may be compared with bluebell glades. For some reason that it is hard to understand, this incom- parable flower, in spite of its rapid rise to fame, has vanished from many gardens. It is very easy to grow from seed almost anywhere, though it needs care if it is to keep its full colour and best form.