34 THE JOY OF GARDENS 



of the soil preparing the way for the seeds to put in their 

 best growing. Plants are the most grateful things on 

 earth, and abundantly repay a cultivating hand, which 

 should be kept busy until frost comes. 



Have you ever thought how uninteresting those things 

 are that have no past and seem to live only in the present? 

 These are the new towns set up on speculation, the groups 

 of suburban villas, the rows of semi-detached tenements 

 in which every man tries to fancy he is under his own 

 rooftree, and packs his belongings in the spring to try 

 another house, vainly imagining that he is home-hunting. 



Foolish man and foolish town ! Had they but planted 

 roots that would strike deep for permanency, twined a 

 vine, set a tree, before they were aware they would have 

 had a leafy background and would be making history. 

 For it is history record of things done to weave into the 

 fabric of time that envelops houses and towns in human 

 interest and really makes them homes. 



If perchance yours is one of a score of little houses in 

 a made-to-order subdivision, make the vow secretly to 

 step out of the class, though you are in the midst of it. 

 Plant a syringa, a flowering almond, and a tree honey- 

 suckle in your lot, with peonies, bleeding hearts, phlox 

 and goldenglow and, if there is room, a hardy climbing 

 rose, a Baltimore belle or rambler, beside your front door. 

 Before spring is gone this modest garden will be the cen- 

 ter of neighborhood attraction. If you have decided to 



