90 Hardy Plants for Cottage Gardens 



ground has been thoroughly prepared, and the plants having 

 been set with reference to their peculiar needs, provide for 

 themselves. Annuals are grouped in a small area, and re- 

 quire very slight attention, if the heavens are propitious. My 

 advice to an amateur is to let a garden follow a natural growth 

 from small beginnings, and add to it only as you need elbow 

 room. Half the pleasure in life is to grow and to make 

 breaches in old horizons. If you begin too ambitiously, ex- 

 tensions may become a burden, and the more assistance you 

 require, the less the personal joy. Occasionally I have a man 

 for half a day to haul cart-loads of various soils to my dump- 

 ing ground, or to gather stones for new walls; but this is the 

 extent of my purchasing power, for I prefer to devote funds to 

 buying choice varieties rather than to employ a man's labor. 

 However this represents a personal idiosyncrasy of one who 

 has learned to value the probable Irish ancestor, who has 

 entailed upon me a wholesome love of work. 



In choosing a site for a garden, let it have a southern ex- 

 posure, or one to the southeast or southwest; get all possible 

 shelter from the north, northeast and northwest winds and 

 storms. If procurable in no other way, plant a hedge or wind 

 break of trees a few yards from the garden, but not so close as 

 to encroach on the soil. Some trees will run out their roots 

 for yards in search of water or mellow earth. Choose a place 

 with natural beauty and some irregularity. Use the defects 

 as so many opportunities to bring out individual beauty. Un- 

 less your mind is constitutionally built on straight lines avoid 

 long straight walks and borders. In marking out curved walks 

 or beds, lay down a rope or hose to represent the proposed 

 line, and study your curves from many points. A defect in 

 curvature may not show from one place yet be obvious from 

 another. Any undue flattening or bulging of a curve spoils its 

 contour. Seek to have features of particular interest, to be 



