CHAPTER VI 



THE RESERVE GARDEN 



One of the greatest charms of a well-stocked garden is 

 that it gives us an abundance of flowers for house 

 decoration. Daffodils and Tulips in spring ; Roses, 

 fragrant Mignonette, and a host of summer flowers ; 

 Dahlias and scarlet Salvias to brighten our rooms on 

 autumn days ; Christmas Roses, Jasmine and scented 

 Violets, braving frost and snow that winter may not 

 find us desolate. In Cottage Gardens, no less than in 

 those of large extent, special care should be taken to 

 include plants which are capable of yielding successional 

 supplies of cut flowers throughout the year. 



In the small garden the systematic gathering of 

 flowers for house decoration unduly robs the borders, 

 giving them a poor and patchy appearance at a time 

 when they should be most beautiful. To avoid this a 

 piece of ground should be set apart tor growing a 

 selection of plants, both annuals and perennials, for pro- 

 viding all the cut bloom we need. This is a matter of 

 no great difficulty, and it is surprising the quantity of 

 flowers that may be taken, by a system of dual cropping, 

 from quite a small plot. Fortunately most of the old 

 Cottage Gardens are large in proportion to the size of 

 the house ; many have an extensive kitchen garden as 

 well as orchard or paddock. But even in the smallest, 

 space can always be found for a reserve garden where, 

 in nursery beds, the best of hardy flowering plants 

 can be grown in lines, without regard to grouping or 



