FLOWERS OF ALL SEASONS 185 



and more strident than any — the canna and the 

 elephant's ear. The presence of these never 

 adorned anything; their manners are too 

 shocking. 



Which brings me to the matter of flower beds, 

 these being usually the medium of display for 

 overbearing flowers of this type. I am glad that 

 the two are associated; glad that no one has 

 ever dreamed of doing such a thing as plant a 

 round bed of hollyhocks, or of any other fine 

 old garden aristocrat, in the midst of a lawn. 

 For of all gardening offenses the flower bed is 

 surely the worst — the type of deadly and un- 

 pardonable sin — the murderer of harmony and 

 beauty and repose. 



Such strong condemnation seems unneces- 

 sarily severe, perhaps you say; but when the 

 outrage which design suffers by having a de- 

 tached, meaningless unit dropped into the midst 

 of a fine and open space is added to the outrage 

 inflicted upon an expanse of lawn by cutting its 

 heart away to make room for flaunting garden 

 courtesans, and all this is multiplied, who shall 

 say how often, by our instinct for imitation led 

 by the fear of being original, strong language is 

 demanded. Better no flowers at all than a 

 flower bed; there is at least no affront in the 

 blankness of the unadorned — and it is peaceable 



