COLOUR IN MY GARDEN 



which must have eased the homesick hearts, had been 

 fitted to an American flower bearing some resemblance to 

 one that grew in the old country. 



The names of such plants as are indigenous to this 

 country may, with a fair amount of certainty, be labelled 

 "made in America," and I dare say in a few cases we have 

 bestowed titles upon the comers from over seas. Without 

 doubt we have added Boston Pink to the many aliases by 

 which pretty Bouncing Bet (Saponaria officinalis) is 

 known in various localities, and it is safe to say, I think, 

 that another of her names is of fairly recent American 

 Origin. This is Lady-by-the-gate, for it is only of recent 

 years that Bet has chosen to toss aside her birthright as a 

 garden child in exchange for the doubtful sociability of the 

 open road. Now she is the Lady-by-the-gate — outside the 

 gate and one may not travel through any rural neighbour- 

 hood where are the remains of old gardens and not ap- 

 preciate the applicability of this name. Around my own 

 white gate-posts and along the paling fence that encloses 

 my dooryard this erst-while favourite crowds closely, 

 dreaming wistfully, I believe, of the sheltered days when 

 she grew in seemly rows with her sister Pinks and Campions 

 and sweet-breathed Stocks and was hailed by all World's 

 Wonder. 



Another flower quaintly associated with gates, though 

 perhaps we may not conclusively claim for this name 

 American origin, is the Cypress Spurge, sometimes known 

 as Welcome-to-our-home. In my neighbourhood, where 

 many old gardens have been left deserted or neglected by 

 the ebbing tide of human interest or affection, this curious 



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