The Garden Gate 



no fairer sight than great banks of this 

 at flowering time. As cover for the 

 fence along the road we chose syringas 

 — the mock-orange of our youth — ^vari- 

 ous varieties, all hardy, vigorous, pure 

 white, some highly scented and growing 

 to line stature. Two of these planted 

 near the east wall of the cottage have 

 reached the eaves above the bedroom 

 windows on the second floor, and nod 

 a sweet good morning to our guests. 



Along the front we wished a hedge 

 that would turn back anything and 

 yet be highly ornamental, and we have 

 it. I defy any ordinary creature to 

 make its way through my Berberis 

 Thunbergii in its twelfth year! No 

 winter is too cold for it! No summer 

 too hot. It is a thing of beauty and a 

 joy forever, except to those who may 

 court undue familiarity. Fern-like 

 foliage from May until October when 

 the first frosts paint it like the rose, 

 and scarlet berries pendant on each 

 thorny branch until forced off in April 

 [93] 



