CHAPTER XV 



BEGINNING AND LEARNING 



The ignorant questioner— Beginning at tlie end — An example — 

 Personal experience — Absence of outer help — Johns' " Flowers 

 of the Field" — Collecting plants — Nurseries near London — 

 Wheel-spokes as labels — Garden friends — Mr. Robinson's 

 "English Flower-Garden" — Mr. Nicholson's "Dictionary of 

 Gardening" — One main idea desirable — Pictorial treatment — ~ 

 Training in fine art — Adapting from Nature — Study of colour — 

 Ignorant use of the word " artistic." 



Many people who love flowers and wish to do some 

 practical gardening are at their wit's end to know what 

 to do and how to begin. Like a person who is on 

 skates for the first time, they feel that, what with the 

 bright steel runners, and the slippery surface, and the 

 sense of helplessness, there are more ways of tumbling 

 about than of progressing safely in any one direction. 

 And in gardening the beginner must feel this kind of 

 perplexity and helplessness, and indeed there is a great 

 deal to learn, only it is pleasant instead of perilous, 

 and the many tumbles by the way only teach and do 

 not hurt. The first few steps are perhaps the most 

 difficult, and it is only when we know something of 

 the subject and an eager beginner comes with questions 



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