244 Old Time Gardens 



great jewel in the centre are filled with crimson or 

 purple velvet. Around this splendid crowned seed- 

 vessel are rows of stamens and purple anthers of 

 richest hue. 



We must not let any scarlet flower be dropped 

 from the garden, certainly not the Geranium, which 

 just at present does not shine so bravely as a few 

 years ago. The general revulsion of feeling against 

 " bedding out " has extended to the poor plants 

 thus misused, which is unjust. I find I have 

 spoken somewhat despitefully of the Coleus, Lo- 

 belia, and Calceolaria, so I hasten to say that I do 

 not include the Geranium with them. I love its 

 clean color, in leaf and blossom; its clean fragrance; 

 its clean beauty, its healthy growth ; it is a plant I 

 like to have near me. 



It has been the custom of late to sneer at crimson 

 in the garden, especially if its vivid color gets a 

 dash of purple and becomes what Miss Jekyll calls 

 " malignant magenta." It is really more vulgar 

 than malignant, and has come to be in textile prod- 

 ucts a stamp and symbol of vulgarity, through the 

 forceful brilliancy of our modern aniline dyes. But 

 this purple crimson, this amarant, this magenta, 

 especially in the lighter shades, is a favorite color in 

 nature. The garden is never weary of wearing it. 

 See how it stands out in midsummer ! It is rank 

 in Ragged Robin, tall Phlox, and Petunias ; you 

 find it in the bed of Drummond Phlox, among the 

 Zinnias ; the Portulacas, Balsams, and China Asters 

 prolong it. Earlier in the summer the Rhododen- 

 drons fill the garden with color that on some of the 



