LONDON PRIDE AND GOLDEN ROD

 LONDON PRIDE AND GOLDEN ROD. - "MAY AND SEPTEMBER." 

By W.G.S. 

But any man that walks the mead, 

In bud, or blade, or bloom may find, 

According as his humours lead 

A meaning suited to his mind. 

ALTHOUGH Golden Rod is grouped with London Pride in Pictures, the bringing of them together would in reality be impossible, as they are separated by the great gulf of the seasons. Pride unfolds its beautiful blossoms in the early spring. Golden Rod does not display his aureate disc till the late autumn. London Pride as its name indicates is the glory of town gardens, where it is wholly unaffected by neglect and impure air. It thrives and throws up its pretty starry flower stalk under the most disadvantageous circumstances, penned up in a stifling back court, a broken flower pot, in the bottom of an area without the attention; it is as happy as in its native Irish mountains, indicating happiness youth and beauty it points to Ireland in ways and may be taken as the type of Irish beauty without at detracting from its merits of London Pride. 

How fair the maiden! None can be 

So fair, so beautiful as she? Ask the mariner who sails 

Over the joyous sea, 

If wave, or star, or friendly gales 

Are half so fair as she, 

Ask the knight on his prancing steed 

Returning from victory. 

If weapon, or war, or arrow's speed 

Is half so fair as she, 

Ask the shepherd, who leads his flocks 

Along the flowery lea, 

If the valley's lap, or the sun crowned-rocks 

Are half so fair as she. 

References:

THE ILLUSTRATED LONDON ALMANACK FOR 1868