Winter 137 



neighbor. Large trees shelter smaller ones, and these in turn 

 shelter lower growing shrubs — and creeping things wander in 

 and out beneath these ; and all are snug and shaded and suitably 

 protected, without a single straw jacket, or chicken-wire cage, or 

 barrel prison. Thus we see that it is first a matter of arrangement. 



Roses are perhaps the most difficult things to deal with, in 

 winter as well as in summer — that is, if one cares to have them 

 attractively placed in the landscape. That they shoiild grow in 

 an enclosure set apart for them — a rose garden — I always insist. 

 But even when so placed, they are ghostly and forlorn-looking 

 when jacketed in straw. Locate the rose garden, in the first 

 place, with the idea of its winter exposure in mind. See that 

 this exposure is such that the roses are protected by some 

 growth of shrubbery or evergreens — a hedge or a border — from 

 the prevailing winds, if these are severe. 



Make the beds from six to eight inches lower than the surface 

 of the ground around them. This is a vast improvement, in 

 summer as well as winter, over beds level with the walks, espe- 

 cially if the walks themselves are grassed. The view across the 

 rose-garden is not interrupted by bare and unattractive earth 

 patches showing around the plants, if this method is followed; 

 and when winter approaches, the bushes may be bent down, 

 tied each to its neighbor's base, or to a stake, and the space 

 around and above them filled until it is a little more than level 

 with the general surface. 



Leaves of the oak are unsurpassed for this filling, but straw 

 is perhaps easier to get, in most instances. With this a rough 

 thatch that will help in shedding water, should be formed; and 

 over all some branches of evergreens or of any tree may be laid, 

 to hold it from blowing away. This work should not be done 

 however, until there has been a freeze which will have driven the 



