/ Z THE CHRONICLES OF A GARDEN. 



i.s, even between a severe spring or an ordinary one. Records 

 of changes made in the garden, a walk altered, a tree taken 

 out, or one planted, a plot laid down in grass, or a new 

 border made, — all of these, if duly recorded in a garden- 

 book, become matters of interest in after years, all the 

 more when those wdio then wrought by our side are re- 

 moved from us by distance or by death, recalling, as they 

 do, happy hours passed away. 



Another use to be made of these note-books is marking 

 down what flowers are in bloom each month, and so mak- 

 ing a memorandum of what we want as well as of what 

 we have, and taking a note of the time the want should be 

 supplied, whether it be by getting cuttings, or plants, or 

 sowing the seed. 



Much foresight of this kind is needed in spring, we are 

 so apt to forget to sow or plant till we see the flower we 

 wish in another person's garden ; then comes the tempta- 

 tion of lifting it at a wrong season, and injuring its bloom, 

 or sowing so late that it cannot bloom at all. An early 

 sowing of some annuals is recommended, for the purpose 

 of having small plants ready for bedding out, or for suc- 

 ceeding the spring bulbs. There is one I must mention as 

 both ornamental and useful, from its branching habit, and 

 the length of time it flowers, Silene pendida, a neat little 

 rose-coloured flower ; it may also be sown in autumn, and 

 planted out in spring. 



By the time, however, we get the length of planting out 

 seedlings, we are aware that spring, with its opportunities, 

 is passing into summer. Our early favourites have passed 



