COTTAGE GARDENS 



the time he is in sight, and, as a rule, the house- 

 holder joins him in a circuit of the place, show- 

 ing achievements, reciting difficulties and dis- 

 appointments, confessing errors, and taking tact- 

 ful advice. 



And what room he finds for tact ! He sees a 

 grave-like bed of verbenas defacing the middle 

 of a small greensward — a dab of rouge on a 

 young cheek; a pert child doing all the talking. 

 Whereupon he shrewdly pleads not for the 

 sward but for the flowers, "You have those there 

 to show off at their best?'* 



"Yes. Don't they do it?" 



"Not quite." He looks again. "Nine feet 

 long — five wide. If you'll plant them next 

 year in a foot-wide ribbon under that border of 

 stronger things along your side boundary they'll 

 give you at least forty feet of color instead of 

 nine, and they'll illuminate your bit of sward 

 instead of eclipsing it." 



In another garden he says, "Splendid sun- 

 burst of color, that big tub of geraniums !" and 

 the householder is pleased to admit the fact. 

 " If you'd sink the tub into the ground clear down 



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