42 
Old Time Gardens 
now in many front yards that remain. The lovely 
full-flowered shrub of Peter’s Wreath, on page 41, 
which was photographed for this book, was all that 
remained of a once-loved front yard. 
The glory of the front yard was the old-fashioned 
early red u Piny,” cultivated since the days of Pliny. 
I hear people speaking of it with contempt as a 
vulgar flower, — -flaunting is the conventional 
derogatory adjective, — but I glory in its flaunting. 
The modern varieties, of every tint from white 
through flesh color, coral, pink, ruby color, salmon, 
and even yellow, to deep red, are as beautiful as 
Roses. Some are sweet-scented; and they have no 
thorns, and their foliage is ever perfect, so I am sure 
the Rose is jealous. 
I am as fond of the Peony as are the Chinese, 
among whom it is flower queen. It is by them re- 
garded as an aristocratic flower; and in old New Eng- 
land towns fine Peony plants in an old garden are a 
pretty good indication of the residence of what Dr. 
Holmes called New England Brahmins. In Salem 
and Portsmouth are old cc Pinys ” that have a hun- 
dred blossoms at a time — a glorious sight. A 
Japanese name is cc Flower-of-prosperity ” ; another 
name, cc Plant-of-twenty-days,” because its glories 
last during that period of time. 
Rhododendrons are to the modern garden what 
the Peony was in the old-fashioned flower border ; 
and I am glad the modern flower cannot drive the 
old one out. They are equally varied in coloring, 
but the Peony is a much hardier plant, and I like 
it far better. It has no blights, no bugs, no dis- 
