30 A GARDEN DIARY 



SEPTEMBER 14, 1899 



TTOWEVER it may be in other gardens, 

 1 * seed-sowing, I find, to be the very centre 

 and kernel of this one. The sowing of seeds 

 is apt to be accounted merely a matter of the 

 raising of a due supply of annuals, salpiglossis, 

 nicotiana, lobelia, nemophila, clarkia, bartonia, 

 godetia, "and a long etcetera." With us it is 

 the permanent, the perennial occupants of our 

 flower-beds which must either be grown from 

 seed, or else not grown at all. This fact was 

 early impressed upon our minds, and in a very 

 summary and effectual fashion, such as Nature's 

 fashion of instilling indispensable truths for the 

 most part is. 



It was three years ago, and we were a pair of 

 destitute garden-owners. We had however good 

 friends, with large gardens. The connection was 

 perfectly self-evident. Without a moment's hesi- 

 tation the basket went round. The response was 

 noble. Plants came to us from North, South, East, 

 and West, especially West. Alas for those plants ! 



