THE WELL-CONSIDERED GARDEN 



The end of my chapter comes quite naturally 

 with those gardens which lie toward the setting 

 sun. 



Two gardens near Tacoma fill me with envy 

 of that wonderful climate of the Pacific coast. 

 Lavender flourishes in Tacoma gardens; the broom 

 is magnificent in May on the prairies which stretch 

 from Tacoma toward American Lake some ten or 

 twelve miles from the city; and here the heaths 

 are at home as well, both Scotch and Mediter- 

 ranean. The winter is mild, with much rain; the 

 summer cool but rainless, therefore constant water- 

 ing of lawns and flowers in the latter season is 

 the practice. A glorious picture of natural plant- 

 ing presents itself upon these prairies where superb 

 spruce-trees are so cunningly grouped in colonies 

 as to give an appearance of the utmost achieve- 

 ment in studied art. At the far edge of one of 

 these great natural parks we drive through a grove 

 of beautiful dark trees and come suddenly upon 

 a rustic gateway dripping with pale-pink rambler 

 roses. 



We pass inside the gate between short bordering 

 beds of hybrid perpetual roses, turn sharply to 

 the right, and behold one of the most lovely flow- 

 ering vistas it has ever been my good luck to see 



260 



