GARDENS NEAR THE SEA 



hundred faded flowers, sparing the garden in this way 

 the apparent tragedy of death. Yet in spite of this vast 

 number that disappear daily, there is, for a long time, 

 no diminution of splendor. Other flowers unfold to 

 take their places and are greeted by a kiss of sunshine 

 which lingers until they also fall under the hand of the 

 gardener. 



This particular planning represents, more than any 

 other in the country, a Japanese garden of irises. It 

 is, however, built on so broad and so generous a scale 

 that few in the land of the Rising Sun can be more 

 impressive. Even the small trees through the garden, 

 and such other water growth as there exists, have a 

 look peculiarly adapted to the locality. Nature has 

 helped greatly to foster the perfection of this garden. 



The Japanese irises prefer plenteous moisture. 

 I have noticed various varieties of them to be deeply 

 rooted in mud. Still, no one need desist from growing 

 irises because they can be given neither so moist and 

 pleasing a situation nor one so rich in mud. There 

 are varieties of irises that bloom lustily on sandy 

 ridges, and many kinds gallantly hide their chagrin 

 in surroundings of clay. Nevertheless, one has but 

 to glance at the wondrous bloom of the water garden 

 at East Hampton to dispel any other thought than 

 that the situation truly congenial for the greater number 

 of irises is a place of unstinted moisture. 



The classes and varieties of irises herein grown are 

 numerous. The German irises, those formerly called 

 flower-de-luce, and now more generally fleur-de-lis, 

 are conspicuous along the crest of the banks and 



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