GARDENS NEAR THE SEA 



one is tempted to give them an opportunity to grow 

 wherever they are likely to thrive. 



Magnolia stellata, a Japanese variety, leads the 

 others in point of early flowering. It is a dwarfish, 

 shrublike tree that unfolds its myriads of pink buds 

 into star-shaped white flowers casting forth a delicate 

 fragrance. A fairer sight is seldom seen. But this 

 little Japanese is neither so well known nor so much be- 

 loved as the large, noble Chinese magnolia, conspicua. 

 When in early spring it is covered with its large, pure 

 white blossoms, it appears to vanquish all shrubs and 

 even to pale the thought of other flowers. Like the 

 stellata, the flowers open before the leaves, a charac- 

 teristic of some plants that makes them particularly 

 lovable. It seems as if they wish to do their best at 

 once; as if the slow process of getting rid of winter 

 has become irksome to them. Thus they send out 

 quickly the best that they have, regardless of the 

 chance that a late frost or even a fall of snow may 

 completely destroy their efforts. 



I have seen Chinese magnolias on Long Island 

 of remarkable size and wondrous beauty; and I have 

 also seen them in a town by the Sound during the time 

 of their bloom, making the dooryard of a modest 

 cottage the most enchanting spot in the place. New 

 palatial houses were forgotten; lawns planted by 

 experts were overlooked, when these magnolias burst 

 open their buds beside the broken gateway. How, 

 when, and by whom they were planted are facts so 

 old as to have outlived the memory of the present 

 occupant of the cottage. In such a situation, the 



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