OUR LAKE 



the beach. Choosing for a model a natural shore 

 near-by, we placed the pebbles and sand and rocks in 

 irregular outline leaving, as we imagined, ample room 

 for overhanging shrubs before we put in the rich 

 soil beside the gravel path. How much the success 

 of a country place lies in willingness to submit to Na 

 ture's whims! From the rosemary willows stretch 

 ing along the shore almost to the island bridge we 

 planted wild roses. In June they are an exquisite de 

 light, as we anticipated; in October to our surprise 

 they glow with conscious color too, for twining around 

 their ruddy haws, the crimson leaves of the self-sown 

 Virginia creeper make a band of amazing loveliness. 



"But doesn't the vine hurt the roses?" asks a con 

 scientious garden-lover. It really does not seem to; 

 surely we would not want them higher or more 

 full of bloom. The jewel weed pokes its tender stem 

 through the prickly branches, and tiny asters, all self- 

 sown too, make variegated patches of lavender and 

 white above the green rose leaves. Before the roses 

 begin to leaf out in the early spring, the ground un- 



141 



