PLANNING 



After locating your beds, decide what kind of 

 flower you will have in each one. But before 

 you locate your plants study your catalogue 

 carefully, and make yourself familiar with the 

 heights and habits of them. Quite likely this will 

 lead to a revision of your mental diagram, for 

 you may find that you have proposed to put low- 

 growing kinds in the rear of tall-growing sorts, 

 and tall-growing kinds where they would seri- 

 ously interfere with the general effect. 



Bear in mind that there is always a proper 

 place for each plant you make use of — if you can 

 find it. The making of a working diagram and 

 the study of the leading characteristics of the 

 plants you propose to use will help you to avoid 

 mistakes that might seriously interfere with the 

 effectiveness of your garden. 



Do not attempt more than you are sure of your 

 ability to carry through well. Many persons 

 allow the enthusiasm of the spring season to get 

 the better of their judgment, and lead them into 

 undertaking to do so much that after a little the 

 magnitude of the work discourages them, and, 

 as a natural result, the garden suffers seriously, 

 and often proves a sad failure. Bear in mind 

 that a few really good plants will give a hundred- 

 fold more pleasure than a great many mediocre 



224 



