THE GARDEN AT HOME 



sort of formal garden that is easily and cheaply made, 

 since the simpler it is the better a garden that looks 

 old while it is yet new, whose flowers of the present whisper 

 secrets of the romantic past, where, " as pensive even- 

 ing deepens into night " memories of youth and all the 

 dreams of youth throng in upon us. 



One may make of such a garden as this what fancy 

 most suggests, and that is its chief enchantment. Has 

 one spent fleeting sunshiny days among the Italian lakes, 

 where the grey Olives whisper and the blue Gum grows, 

 and the seductive scents of exotics fill the air ; where 

 Oleander, Syrian Mallow, and Pot Herbs in old red vases 

 adorn the flagged paths ; where clustering Rose and. 

 Clematis, hiding the poles that pillar them, fling their 

 luxuriant shoots to the wind and gambol in every breeze 

 that blows ? Where plants are not content to grow in the 

 beds alone, but must needs o'erstep the margin and tres- 

 pass on the paths, for there are no flower warnings there ; 

 where climbers caress each other with tresses of fair and 

 fragrant bloom, and the little creeping plants play hide- 

 and-seek among each other's stones? Then in fancy 

 picture and in flower-loves paint the garden of your 

 dreams. There may lack a little colour in the sky, a 

 little lustre in the leaves, but the plants will be prodigal 

 of bloom and their fragrance just as sweet. And what 

 sunshine is lacking will be more than atoned for by the 

 gardener's delight. 



While winter passed to spring has one spent joyous 



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