A GARDEN NOTE-BOOK 



effect of an affront — why should we discuss here 

 or elsewhere the question of organizing in order 

 to garden better ? That word organization seems 

 to me to be enveloped in a dark cloud of other 

 baneful words, such as Constitution, By-Laws, 

 Dues, all these bearing on their face httle or no re- 

 lation to the occupation with which we must ally 

 them here. But, granting them to be necessities, 

 let us see how they may best serve us as we con- 

 sider the matter set forth in our title. 



The organization of most garden clubs is, I 

 imagine, brought about with real spontaneity and 

 in very informal fashion. Two or three people, 

 usually women — the reader will have noticed 

 Miss Shelton's amusing explanatory reference to 

 women's part in gardening in the preface to her 

 "Beautiful Gardens in America" — two or three 

 women, then, happen to meet in a brightly bloom- 

 ing garden, oi on a terrace or piazza overlooking 

 the same. The talk is all of the beauty before 

 them. The wish is put into words by one or 

 another of the group that a nmnber of friends and 

 acquaintances might gather at stated times for the 

 purpose of discussing garden topics. Then follows 

 a meeting of say twelve to twenty interested ones, 

 the actual organizing, the election of officers, the 



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