Explanatory 9 



use in the garden, are apt to become a nuisance 

 there. For instance, the Great Japanese Knotworts 

 (Polygonum) are certainly better planted outside of 

 the flower-garden. 



Fifthly, because we may in this way settle the 

 question of the spring flower-garden. Many parts 

 of every country garden, and many suburban ones, 

 may be made alive with spring flowers, without inter- 

 fering at least with the flower-beds near the house. 

 The blue stars of the Apennine Anemone will be 

 enjoyed better when the plant is taking care of itself, 

 than in any conceivable formal arrangement. It is 

 but one of hundreds of sweet spring flowers that 

 will succeed perfectly in our fields, lawns, and woods. 

 And so we may cease the dreadful practice of tearing 

 up the flower-beds and leaving them like new-dug 

 graves twice a year. 



Sixthly, because there can be few more agreeable 

 phases of communion with Nature than naturalizing 

 the natives of countries in which we are infinitely 

 more interested than in those of which greenhouse 

 or stove plants are native. From the Roman ruin — 

 home of many flowers, the mountains and prairies 

 of the New World, the woods and meadows of all 

 the great mountains of Europe ; from Greece and 

 Italy and Spain, from the hiUs of Asia Minor; from 

 the alpine regions of the great continents — in a word, 

 from almost every interesting region the traveller 

 may bring seeds or plants, and establish near his 



