Nobody was quite sure what a garland was, because in books people sometimes wore garlands on their heads, when of course they would be wreaths, and sometimes twined them round pillars, in which case they would be like Christmas decorations.
‘We had better have both kinds,’ said Caroline, ‘to be quite sure.’
On a foundation of twigs of the arbor vitæ, twined round with Jaeger wool originally bought for Caroline to knit a vest for her Aunt Emmeline (‘but I know I shall never finish it,’ she said), symbolic flowers were tied, some in circlets or wreaths, others on long straight lengths. ‘Rye grass which means “a changeable disposition,”’ was suggested by Charlotte, ‘because we do want her to change: from paint to alive,’ she said; ‘and pink verbena means “family reunion,” and she is a relation, after all. Besides pink’s such a pretty colour.’
Caroline ascertained that yew meant life; but Charles was considered to have made the hit of the afternoon by his discovery that Jacob’s ladder meant ‘come down,’ which was, of course, exactly what they wanted the lady to do.
The gardener knew what Jacob’s ladder was, though the children did not; and their fear that it might be a dull shrub with invisible flowers was dispelled when they beheld its blue brightness.
‘We ought to wear coronilla ourselves,’ said Caroline—‘a new piece every day. It means “success attend your wishes.”’ But the gardener had not heard of coronilla. ‘The book says it’s “a flowering shrub of the pea family,”’ Caroline read from the Language Of, which, as usual, she had been carrying under her arm, ‘“with small pinnate leaves”—whatever they are. “An elegant bush with reddish-brown blossoms when first expanded, varying to yellow at a later period of their graceful existence.”’
‘Oh, that!’ said the gardener, ‘that’ll be scorpion’s senna. That’s what that be. Something to do with the shape of the stars in the sky. Old women sells it for a charm for shy sweethearts.’
‘In our book it says, “Success crown your wishes.”’
‘Just so,’ said the gardener, ‘and she names the day. That’s it, along there.’
The garlands looked very handsome and the wreaths very beautiful. It was Caroline who made this distinction. And their dark foliage and the bright pink and blue and yellow of their flowers showed charmingly against the green curtain.