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Poem

06 Oct 2005

This poem was printed in Gardening Illustrated about 80 years ago. I don't know who wrote it but Ingwersen quoted it in an article on Sempervivums in 1943.

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THE COBWEB HOUSE LEEK

Of alpine flowers that grow so neat
The Houseleeks are the most complete
Of all the Houseleeks neatest far
The jolly Cobweb Houseleeks are.

They're always hearty, always hale,
The will grow in the merest shale,
Thrive in the country, do well in town
Grow happily forward, never look down.

They never sulk, they never die.
They smile at every kind of sky,
They grow on walls, on roofs they revel
And will do well upon the level.

Tectorum's always on the roof.
But Wulfenii is more aloof.
Comillii is purplish blue,
And rubicundum smiles at you.

But triste is not really sad,
To name it so is wrong and bad.
Calcareum so cosy and round
Does many and many a bed surround.

Yet why compare? All Houseleeks known
Possess a charm that's quite their own.
But Cobweb Houseleeks, every way
They are the perfect picture, they.

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