CHAPTER II 

 THE PROBLEM OF THE BARE PLACES 



A gardener is a master of what a French writer calls the charming art of 

 touching up the truth. —John Sedding. 



THE usual garden border is very unequal in its dis- 

 play. There is its budding loveliness in spring, its 

 satisfying June opulence, a sad falling off in July, 

 partial recovery by means of the reliable Phloxes in August, 

 and much general dishevelment in September. This in- 

 equality is not caused so much by the failure of flowers as 

 by the failure of foliage. Wherever the foliage is fresh and 

 luxuriant, there the border appears full and well furnished 

 and conveys to the mind a gratifying impression of prom- 

 ise, though there may be no flowers actually in bloom. 

 It is usual, however, after the all-pervading richness of 

 June is past, to find great blank spaces in the borders 

 where spring bulbs, biennials, Lilies, and even some 

 perennials have accomplished their allotted task and taken 

 themselves off; or where plantations of Delphiniums and 

 Hollyhocks, large because we so delight in them, have 

 flowered and been cut to the ground, leaving sorry patches of 

 torn and untidy foliage and yellowing stalks. Many peren- 

 nials that are very charming while in flower lose all pride 



19 



