4 Hardy Plants for Cottage Gardens 
One thing I did not learn was, that you cannot trust to the 
tender mercy of Providence when planting; so for years and 
years I bought small packages of seeds, and in blind faith dug 
little holes in the ground, which I watered intermittently; and 
some of the holes came up—but most did not—and all was 
vanity. Nor do I think this experience of mine, futile and 
ignorant as it sounds, is rare among genuine lovers of flowers. 
They, as well as I, do not know how to go about it; and in con- 
sequence, we see our ambitious plans fruiting in puny re- 
luctant plants that reflect our neglect as plainly as the pro- 
truding ribs of a starved horse proclaim the cruelty of its 
owner. Both are pitiful to see, and deep is my repentance 
over those past victims of misguided affection. 
However, as I have said, through innumerable failures and 
guilty of a thousand floricides, I came to learn that a flower 
bed must be prepared, that seedlings must be protected from 
frost, sun and drought and too much water; that plants must 
be cared for and groomed daily, and that, if you do your part 
faithfully, your protégés will surpass in growth and bloom the 
most flattering promises of seed catalogues. 
T shall never forget my first efforts to reform life-long er- 
rors. I had married and was living in the country with un- 
limited space and sunshine and ample leisure to gratify my 
love of flowers. During the first two summers I followed the 
old trick of tucking in a seed and bidding it God-speed—but 
nothing sped. Then it was that Adam, who chanced to be an 
illuminated edition of my early ideal—a gardener at heart, 
though not by profession—suggested that a flower bed should 
be prepared. I felt there was much hard-headed sense in his 
remark, yet inwardly resented it. 
“T have prepared it,” said I, with the bland innocence of 
a babe. 
“How did you do it?” inquired he. 
