A GARDEN NOTE-BOOK 



est in permanent features of the garden increase. 

 To plant is a pleasure of the activity of youth; 

 to watch the development is a joy of the inactivity 

 of age. Says another: "While money and energy 

 will advance most worldly concerns, these are 

 minor considerations in the matter of a shrub. 

 Money and energy may start a fine piece imder 

 perfect conditions, but they will not hasten its 

 growth. Shrubs, in fact, are simply no good to 

 an old man in a hurry. If you are over sixty 

 years of age, stick to the herbaceous border, or- 

 chids, and fruit; indeed, forty-five is none too 

 early to begin growing shrubs. But you wiU find 

 the pursuit worth while, for, though shrubs offer 

 no intellectual excitement, they furnish quite an 

 intelligent pastime and may serve to gladden the 

 leisure of a busy man, or even to keep an idle one 

 out of mischief — provided the worthless individ- 

 ual can be grafted with proper ardor for frutes- 

 cent things." 



A garden, be it of flowers or shrubs, is the prov- 

 ince of hope. To the true lover of gardening 

 there is no winter of discontent — only a winter 

 of three or four short months, full to the brim 

 with expectancy, and with thankfulness for time 

 to study, to plan, to think on summer. Indeed, 



154 



