Torch lilies. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



THE FLOWER GARDEN IN AUTUMN. 



Now who hath entered my loved woods, 



And touched their green with sudden change ? 

 Who blanched my Thistle's rosy face, 



And gave the winds her silver hair ? 

 Set Golden-rod within her place, 



And scattered Asters everywhere ? 

 Lo ! the change reaches high and wide, 



Hath toned the sky to softer blue ; 

 Hath crept along the river side, 



And trod the valleys through and through ! 



RECENT additions to our garden flora have made such a difference 

 to the flower garden in the autumn that it may be even more 

 beautiful than the spring, rich as that is in flowering trees and shrubs. 

 The use of half-hardy, or bedding plants, which are often showy 

 in autumn, gives a certain amount of colour which is very precious ; 

 and the introduction of many beautiful hardy flowers gives us the 

 means of making the autumnal garden very fine in colour effects. 

 It would be easy to give the names of many things that are to be 

 found in flower in gardens in autumn, but that is not nearly so im- 

 portant as getting an idea of many of the nobler class of plants which 

 may be effectively used at that time, no matter almost what the 

 season may be. Half-hardy plants for the garden depend very much 

 on the summer, and certain seasons are so much against them 

 that they make no show ; but this cannot be said of the hardy 

 flowers of nobler stature and beauty, which are so well fitted 

 for our climate, like the many Sunflowers. Certain plants may 

 depend for success on soil and situation, or even climate, even when 



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