8 A Little Maryland Garden 
months. I read catalogues and studied 
perennials and annuals. 1 took no interest 
in biennials. Piants that kept one waiting 
for flowers for a whole year, and after bloom- 
ing for one season died, were not for a 
beginner. One most important feature of 
gardening I did not appreciate at all in the 
beginning, the matter of soil and manure. 
My first attempt at making borders was in 
the L that ran up beside the house and was 
overlooked by the porch and the dining-room 
windows. It was small, sheltered, and 
private; a little nook that might be made 
gay with flowers. Unfortunately the soil was 
a filling of brickbats and builders’ rubbish, 
and in my haste to begin I only put a layer 
of proper soil on top. But I had beginners’ 
luck. Under the grey stone foundation 
wall of the house I planted German iris, and 
in the opposite border sweet-williams and 
mignonette. Both did well, and the descend- 
ants of the sweet-williams have never deteri- 
orated, but are as handsome and thriving 
to-day as in the start. They range through 
