THE PLEASURES OF WORK. \) 



gardener ; that liothoiise flowers should flourish in a green- 

 house without a fire, or that beds and borders should be 

 always in a blaze of beauty, when they can afford neither 

 time nor money sufiicient to keep them in such a state of 

 high culture. There is wisdom in not attempting too 

 much, and there is pleasure too in being thus " content 

 Avith such things as we have ;" for, however it may be in 

 other matters, it does not hold true of gardening, that 



" In great attempts 'tis glorious even to fail." 



This is one reason why I feel inclined to recommend pos- 

 sessors of small gardens, who are unable to keep a regular 

 gardener, not to be too hasty in discarding the old-fashioned 

 mixed border, and adopting in its stead beds of flowers. 

 There are many arguments in favour of the mixed border, 

 such as, that it is never empty; that hardy plants, which 

 need little cultivation, grow there ; that blanks are more 

 easily filled up when they occur ; and that to most people 

 there is a pleasure in going year after year to the same 

 spot, sure of finding there the old favourite plant, either 

 beginning to bud, or in full blow, and of thus forming, as 

 it were, a friendship among your flowers — 



" Nor blush if o'er your heart be stealing 

 A love for things that have no feeling." 



This last fanciful pleasure is one unknown to the cultiva- 

 tor of beds where the flowers are removed and renewed 

 year by year ; and truth to tell, it is one which meets with 

 very little sympathy from the gardener ; at least, I never 



