WHEN TO LET WELL ALONE 65 



river, happily it has those for its owners who, with 

 wise discrimination, see that it is better let alone. 



So again in the case of a wild forest pool, such as 

 the one shown in the picture. Here is a glimpse of 

 quiet natural beauty ; pure nature untouched. Being 

 in itself beautiful, and speaking direct to our minds 

 of the poetry of the woodland, it would be an ill deed 

 to mar its perfection by any meddlesome gardening. 

 The most one could do in such a place, where deer 

 may come down to drink and the dragon-fly flashes 

 in the broken midsummer light, would be to plant 

 in the upper ground some native wild flower that 

 would be in harmony with the place but that may 

 happen to be absent, such as Wood Sorrel or Wood 

 Anemone; but nothing that would recall the garden.. 

 Here is pure forest, and garden should not intrude. 

 Above all, the water-margin should be left as it is. 

 Foreign Irises, so good to plant by many garden 

 pools, would here be absurd and only painfully ob- 

 trusive, and as the place is already right it is far best 

 left alone. There are many places that call aloud for 

 judicious planting. This is one where all meddling 

 is forbidden. 



