THE LURE OF THE GARDEN 



with orchids and air-plants. Best of all, you can begin 

 to grow your annuals while without winter still com- 

 mands the earth. The fascination of fooling tiny 

 seedlings into the belief that spring has far outpaced 

 them is one of the gardener's most pleasing deceptions. 

 Up they rush in a panic, sticking their little leaves 

 right and left into the humid atmosphere, hurrying 

 into life with the haste of children rushing out to play. 

 And then those earliest days of the real spring, 

 irretrievably lost to you unless you know your garden 

 in winter. Those extraordinary, evanescent impres- 

 sions, spirit-like in their impalpability, but unmistak- 

 able as the voice of the beloved. It is impossible to 

 cry, " Lo, here!" or, " Lo, there!" There is no pre- 

 cise moment upon which to clap a word or lay a hand. 

 But on a sudden morning spring has come into your 

 garden, creation is hard at work, the burgeoning trees 

 and imminent flowers press on the consciousness . . . 

 and winter yields to her immortal sister in a sun- 

 illumined shower. 



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