JANUARY 



The Passing of Winter 



IT always seems to me that when the New Year dawns, 

 those who are unhappily not gardeners must envy 

 those who are, if they realise the intense joy and pleasure 

 that the turn of the year and its consequent delightful 

 anticipations bring. I find it difficult to believe that 

 winter has not already passed when New Year's Day 

 comes in. The old year has gone and one has to prepare 

 in earnest, to plot and plan for the flowers and crops of 

 another season. Even if the weather is cold the sun gains 

 daily in power and influence ; the spring bulbs begin to 

 peep through the soil; those in pots, even in the cold 

 greenhouse, start into growth; plants and shrubs on 

 sheltered walls show signs of fresh life ; the ground begins 

 to dry a little. Everywhere the same tale is told, and the 

 most pessimistic, if he does not believe winter has gone, 

 must realise that spring is coming. How the catalogues 

 roll in by every post; they too bid us look forward not 

 only hopefully, but speedily. Who starts early will 

 achieve the greatest success. It is poor gardening and 

 offers little hope of real satisfaction to delay ordering 

 seeds until spring is here. Those who order first are first 

 served, and it is so much pleasanter to obtain the flowers 

 one has decided to grow than to have the list returned 

 with " sold out " marked against many items. ,Part of 

 the perennial interest attaching to gardening is due to 

 the fact that one may grow some different flowers every 

 year, for there are so many from which to choose. Those 

 who buy plants in March instead of seeds in January miss 

 much of the delight that centres in flower growing. 



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