THE GARDEN OF A YEAR 133 



and white " painted lady " and the other the dark 

 maroon and blue, which were sown thickly in 

 clumps and rounds, as fancy dictated. Some of us 

 can remember now the delight of seeing the little 

 green cushions or rings of seedlings crowding 

 round their labels, and the pride with which we 

 surveyed the success, as we fondly believed, of our 

 somewhat back-breaking efforts. Alas, our seed- 

 sowing somehow usually ended with promise and 

 never arrived at fulfilment ; and we know why now, 

 for since those days we have learned to do our 

 gardening better. 



Unfortunately, when a tenancy is necessarily 

 short, it is not often left to us to choose the term 

 of it with reference to gardening convenience ; but, 

 given a voice in the matter, from Michaelmas to 

 Michaelmas would be as good a time as might 

 be chosen. Of course, it is a little late in the sea- 

 son, and a month or six weeks earlier would be 

 better in some respects ; but it is the term, and 

 at any rate some preparations can be set in hand 

 at once, and the sooner the better. 



The first thing to be done is to consider care- 

 fully the space in hand, and to form some definite 

 scheme ; for herein lies one main secret of suc- 

 cess. It is not quite too late even by the end of 

 September to gain some idea of the capabilities of 

 the garden, what it contains and what it lacks ; 

 and we look at everything with a critical eye. 

 There are beds on the lawn which will have to 

 be garnished for the summer ; there are borders, 

 at present ill-supplied with occupants, which might 

 easily be supplemented ; a dilapidated archway cries 



