CHAPTER XVIII 



GARDENS OF ROSES 



"1 TT THEN the love of flowers dwells in the heart, 

 \ \ I even in the smallest degree, it must, sooner 

 TV or later, make itself felt in a desire to 

 grow the rose. In fact, I have known people who truly 

 loved a rose while regarding other flowers with utter 

 indifference. The rose is very satisfying. It is not 

 only its rounded, well-developed beauty that pleases; it 

 has besides translucent color, the charm of fragrance, 

 and an upright, gracious personality with which no 

 other flower can compare. The rose, moreover, is gen- 

 erous in temperament. About it there is nothing small 

 or calculating. It holds its own; it can defy the sea. 



Many of the oldest and most far-famed rose gardens 

 of this country have been located in towns bordering 

 the coast. And with the expression, "an old rose 

 garden," there arises a wealth of sentiment and imagi- 

 native fragrance. Nothing in nature is more beauti- 

 ful, more completely alluring. Even old, uncared-for 

 bushes often send out their flowers in uncountable 

 numbers, making great patches of color on the land- 

 scape. It seems as if they would make up by this means 

 for their diminished size and their lessened perfection. 

 Indeed, from an old rose garden the aroma of romance 

 can never quite fade away. 



[210] 



