bluer than the ordinary Larch, and with longer leaves, the 
whole mass effect being softer. For its old age, I cannot 
vouch, but it certainly is a fascinating baby. 
I wonder if it is permitted in Plant Material, to put in 
a few words on what not to have? Sad experience with a very 
small garden has taught me that there are a good many "run 
arounds," not only desirable but lovely, in a large space, but 
perfectly hopeless in a small one. For example, if you had a 
space to cover, under trees, in a distant corner of a wild gar- 
den, you could use the ordinary scentless w41d Violet of the 
roadside. It has large, single flowers on long stems, good 
green leaves all summer, and struck me, in my innocence as a 
"neat edging plant." As a result, we wage ceaseless war to 
keep it from being the only plant, not only in the flower 
garden, but on the whole place ! Its only rival is the graceful 
Helianthus, Miss Mellish; plant these two things in the middle of 
a ten acre lot, and the lot will soon be over-run, and the neighbors 
trying to evict Miss Mellish and the immodest violet from their 
door-yards. Other good plants, which are taboo for small gardens 
are Eupatorium ageratoides, the pretty white Eupatorium, and 
New England Asters, both of which self-sow very rapidly, the 
delicate silver-green foliage plant, Artemisia 8tellariana, pale 
purple Campanula rapunculoides (one .of the worst, though a 
lovely color) which you see running wild on the site of old 
houses. Achillea, the Pearl, and the Plume Poppy, Bocconia. 
All these are good in their places, but death on small gardens. 
One very nice "run around" easily kept under control is the 
gay little Gold Button, Ranunculus repens fl. pi; the "double 
Buttercup" of our great-grandmothers. It blooms with the 
Tulips, and makes a good foreground for bronze or pale yellow 
ones, or, if you like gaiety, with Gesneriana spathulata, or with 
Keizerhroon, and the foliage is a good bright green all summer. 
And oh ! whenever and wherever your climate will let you, 
which our wind-swept Hempstead Plains will not — Tree Lupines. 
Such foamy masses of cream and ivory, palest gold and soft gray- 
blue! They are like sunset clouds, not gay ones, but the softest 
pale ones, puffing and fluffing out among your flowers in June. 
Last, but not least, concerning this "Material" bearing in 
mind always your plans of color and form, which may be 
worked out with the simplest as w^ell as with the most expen- 
sive of materials, if you have only a small garden, don't 
try too many experiments — unless, of course, you don't care 
how it looks. Stick to the good old succession of Tulips, Iris, 
Peonies, Phlox, a few Lilies ; a few Annuals, for fillers. Dahlias 
and Gladiolus, if you have room; and some Chrysanthemums. 
So shall you, in your little space, have plenty, continuity, 
color and beauty — and peace ! 
Mary Fanny Youngs. 
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