CHAPTER FOURTEEN 



FLOWERING TREES IN THE BORDERS 



"No Man so callous but he heaves a sigh 

 When o 'er his head the withered cherry blossoms 

 Come fluttering down." 



Korumushi. 



IT SEEMS not to be the pleasant custom nowadays 

 in our country to plant trees in the flower borders. 

 In gardens of the old world one comes frequently 

 upon a spreading tree rising from a tangle of gay flowers 

 in even quite narrow borders, casting a cool shadow 

 across the sunny path. Sometimes it is a sombre black- 

 shadowed Yew, often a gnarled and twisted apple or 

 pear, or some rare exotic; but, whatever it is, the garden 

 assumes an added grace, a more interesting aspect from 

 its presence. 



Certainly much of the charm of the trim Box-bor- 

 dered gardens of our grandmothers may be attributed to 

 the fruit trees which marched up and down the straight 

 paths creating sweet shadowy interludes in the sunny 

 expanse, sifting their fragrant petals like snow among 

 the Daffodils and spry Ladies' Delights, and later hang- 

 ing out their scarlet or yellow fruit in rich harmony with 

 the Tiger Lilies, Marigolds, and "gilded Sunflowers." 



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