THE WELL-CONSIDERED GARDEN 



beds, corresponding in proportion to the size of 

 the rectangular pool. These, as forming part of 

 the centre of the garden, are always planted ex- 

 actly alike. Purple of a rich bluish cast is one 

 of the colors which bind instead of separate, and 

 purple it is which here becomes an excellent focal 

 color for the garden. In the middle of each bed 

 is a sturdy group of the hardy phlox Lord Ray- 

 leigh, surrounded on all sides by heliotrope of the 

 darkest purple obtainable. This year, however, 

 I expect to replace the heliotrope with even bet- 

 ter effect by a tall blue ageratum, which I saw in 

 one or two Connecticut gardens, as the paler color 

 is more telling and quite as neutral for such a 

 position. Speaking of this ageratum, I may per- 

 haps digress for a moment to mention a charming 

 effect I saw on an out-of-door dining-table last 

 summer, obtained by the use of this flower. The 

 color of the table was a pale cool green and most 

 of its top was exposed; in the centre stood a 

 bowl of French or Italian pottery, bearing a care- 

 less gay decoration, and at the four corners smaller 

 bowls. These were filled, to quote the words of 

 the knowing lady whose happy arrangement this 

 was, "with zinnias which had yellows and copper- 

 reds, with the variety which resulted from an order 



70 



