130 THE JOY OF GARDENS 



It seems as if they knew the day and the hour, for of all 

 the proud dahlias the yellow and white alone are out. 

 The sole gladiolus in blossom is yellow throated, the 

 canna bed holds a yellow signal from amid the great 

 mound of calladiums, where the yellow day lilies shake 

 their bells at the base to warn the brilliant portulacas 

 creeping at their feet that they are lowly things and chil- 

 dren of a night. The gaillardias sport the darkest of 

 velvet browns shaded from orange, and next is a golden 

 privet bush, and, in the greenery of plants long since 

 stopped blooming, rise the tritomas, "red-hot pokers," a 

 bit ahead of their season and turning the flame color to 

 newer tints of rose reflections. 



Towering above all are the first sunflowers, rooted out- 

 side the garden pale, and far down the road you may 

 follow the cheerful call of tansy, goldenrod, evening prim- 

 rose, helianthus, rudbeckias, jewel weed, the dainty butter 

 and eggs tripping in meadow and on hilltop, where the 

 mullein torches stand to catch the last gleams of the set- 

 ting sun in nature's midsummer festival of yellows. 



