SPRING BUDS AND BLOOMS 83 



tied up to a wire trellis, in order that picking may 

 be easier. Could any flowering shrub give a 

 more gracious wealth of bloom than does now 

 this same blackberry row? We should feel fully 

 square with the plants if they did not follow with 

 great clusters of glistening fruits in July. 



The other extra and much more unexpected 

 picture is made for us by the plentiful and dainty 

 white flowers of First of All peas. Grown as an 

 "eat" and not a sweet pea, it has nevertheless 

 given us a brave and beautiful show. The yet 

 bare trelhs of the sweet-pea row indicates that the 

 hardier vegetable has bloomed far ahead of its 

 aristocratic sister. 



The first dogwoods I planted are now "showing 

 me," and I hke to be shown by them! The red- 

 buds associated with them are not so happy, for 

 borers have killed one and choked another. Par- 

 ticularly have these sly creatures worked harm to 

 the Japanese red-bud, a pet of mine. 



Not very many shrubs bloom here in May. The 

 fine Spircea Van Houttei follows S, arguta, and 

 Deutzia gracilis, the old "Bridal Wreath," is at its 

 best, together with the lovely Lemoine variety. 

 Van Houttei is most useful, because it will endure 

 sun or shade, drought or dampness, slope or flat, 

 blooming everywhere. Just before it, the other 



