192 POT-POURRI FROM A SURREY GARDEN 



these plants flower earlier further South than they do in 

 Lancashire. 



October 26th. — The Ereneh proverb, ' La vari6t6 c'est 

 la vie,' always appeals to me in many things, especially 

 domestic ones. I know nothing such a test of a good- 

 housekeeper as a periodic change of biscxiits. Every- 

 body tires of the best biscuits in the world, and the new 

 shape and the old biscuits of better quaUty should ring 

 the changes. All through the summer a slight surprise 

 and pleasure comes at the end of a little dinner if a- 

 buttonhole of sweet-smeUing flowers and leaves are 

 carefully tied up (fine wire'does them the least clumsily) 

 and dropped into the water in the finger-bowls. Nothing 

 should be used but what is really sweet — Lemon- 

 scented Verbena and Geranium leaves being the prin- 

 cipal foundation ; and in summer there ought always to 

 be plenty of these two in the smallest gardens. 



I think it may be a little amusement or help to some 

 of you if I make a list of a few of my dinner-table 

 decorations during the six months in the country : — 



April. — White AUium with greenhouse Asparagus, 

 red Geranium in low vases between, with no green. 

 Various spring flowers and blossoms arranged, each 

 separate, in small narrow-necked vases, having the effect 

 of a miniature spring garden. 



Ma/i/. — A Japanese arrangement of Clematis montana 

 and greenhouse Asparagus. Parrot Tulips in narrow 

 glasses all about the table. Pink ivy-leaved Geranium, 

 called Souvenir of Charles Turner, in a large flat glass in 

 the middle, and a pretty pink Pelargonium all round. 

 Oriental Poppies, no green. In the middle an arrange- 

 ment of German Iris of four or five different shades. 

 Perennial herbaceous Lupins, white and blue, with their 

 own lovely leaves ; they must never be allowed to 



