THE PRACTICAL FLOWER GARDEN 



border, and surrounding the whole garden, is 

 a hedge of pink and white altheas, which has 

 now grown so high that the garden is quite 

 hidden from view. The rich soil used for the 

 roses, with the frequent watering, stimu- 

 lated both pansies and sweet william to great 

 effort. Their blossoms added to the color of 

 the garden, and I was secretly much pleased 

 with the effect. 



One day in mid-June, when the little rose 

 garden was in perfection of bloom, my 

 daughter critically remarked at luncheon, 

 "I do not like those pansies and other 

 things in the rose-garden; everything there 

 should grow up straight and neatly, and it 

 is not bad if the earth is seen between the 

 plants." Criticisms made by one's children 

 are trying, but sometimes appropriate. Most 

 of that afternoon I spent in the rose garden, 

 visited it again in the evening, and slept 

 little during that night thinking the matter 

 over. It seemed cruel to drag out all those 

 beautiful blooming plants. But by morning 



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