A GARDEN NOTE-BOOK 



not touch Walter Faxon for gorgeousness and 

 purity of coloring, or for useful qualities as a cut 

 flower." 



There is in my possession a shallow, rather oval 

 dish, an old Italian piece. The paste is gray, the 

 decoration simple and delicate, a dull blue. Never 

 have I liked flowers better in this than when this 

 spring it held that glorious tulip of glorious name. 

 Illuminator, with young peony leaves among the 

 tulips, with lily-of-the-valley-like sprays of double 

 arabis to give brilliant light to the group, and 

 twigs of youngest leaflets of white birch to make 

 the mass less solid in effect. Incomparably rich 

 was this arrangement; more sumptuous color can- 

 not be. The tulip of flaming orange and yellow, 

 the bronzes of peony foliage and of birch, and the 

 scintillating touches of white made a most satis- 

 factory indoor arrangement. Why not a garden 

 of these same things, if peonies will permit the 

 intrusion of the three companions near their 

 roots.'' Some gardener will cry out against my 

 sacrifice of young peony branches, and, indeed, I 

 confess to a feeling of regret here. I thought of 

 those who will not withhold their hand from baby 

 lamb when such is desired for a lady's cloak; yet 

 I picked my peonies and mean to watch the be- 



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