SPRING BUDS AND BLOOMS 73 



live. To give these rhododendrons a reasonable 

 chance, a trench two and a half feet deep was dug, 

 close up to the intruding maples. Next the maples 

 one trench was Hned with heavy slates on one 

 side, and in the other a cement-mortar brick wall 

 was built, to keep out the hungry maple roots. 

 Then these great and noble rhododendrons from 

 the mountains were planted thickly in precious 

 leaf-mold, better than that they came out of. A 

 foot-deep mulch of leaves was put over the filled 

 trench, and the hose turned in for hours. 



The rhododendrons have said "Thank you," 

 and have gone right on blooming and growing, 

 giving me a bit of the wild glory of the hiUs in 

 June, and all the time the lovely greenery of their 

 leaves. I have watched and watered and mulched 

 them continually. Whenever in the days above 

 freezing temperature their leaves droop, it is a 

 pathetic request for a drink, and I hear, heed 

 and water. 



Along the border are the wild children of the 

 woods. As I cannot possibly fiU it all in one 

 season — ^nor do I want to — ^the wild blue violet 

 has been permitted to spread. It will grow in any 

 soil, and soon possess the neighborhood, if one is 

 not ruthless and careful. But it is a wonderful 

 sight these May days to see the thousands of its 



