TAKING STOCK OF THE GARDEN 109 



CHAPTER XI 



TAKING STOCK OF THE GARDEN— UNDER JUNE'S SUNNY 



SKIES 



THE other day I asked one of my garden-making friends what 

 she did in her garden in June, and, being somewhat of an 

 epicure, after thinking hard for a minute or two, her answer was: 

 "Why, I just eat figs." Writing this in the shade of my own 

 Fig tree, where the shadows from the thick, green leaves fall 

 soft and cool and, remembering the delicious sweetness and 

 delicate flavor of the figs that grow in our southern gardens, I 

 think I should like to follow her example. But this is too often 

 what we do: Sit with folded hands and enjoy the fragrance and 

 beauty of the Spring shrubs and flowers and fruits and watch 

 them quietly fade away, and then wonder why there are no blos- 

 soms later in the Summer. It is largely upon the June work 

 that the blossoming glory of the Midsummer garden depends. 



June should be the stock-taking month. There is no time 

 for rest or hesitation now. The first thing to be done is to get 

 through with the clearing of the borders. Bulbs of Narcissus, 

 Snowdrops, Roman Hyacinths, Daffodils and Jonquils seem to 

 grow and multiply better if left in the borders where they have 

 been placed. Tulips, Crocuses, the double Hyacinths, and all 

 the finer bulbs must be left in the ground until fully matured, 

 which is indicated by the decay of the leaves, and as soon as these 

 have turned yellow and fallen off the bulbs must be taken up 

 and stored in a dry place until it is time to replant them in the 

 Fall. 



After the crop of flowers is over, the deciduous shrubs should 

 be cut back, in order that the new wood, on which the blossoms 



