140 
Old Time Gardens 
The cone-beaked hyacinth returns 
To light her blue-flamed chandelier. 
“ The willow’s whistling lashes, wrung 
By the wild winds of gusty March, 
With sallow leaflets lightly strung. 
Are swaying by the tufted larch. 
^ See the proud tulip’s flaunting cup. 
That flames in glory for an hour, — 
Behold it withering, then look up — 
How meek the forest-monarchs flower ! 
“ When wake the violets, Winter dies ; 
When sprout the elm buds. Spring is near ; 
When lilacs blossom. Summer cries, 
‘ Bud, little roses. Spring is here.’ ” 
The universal flower in the old-time garden was 
the Lilac ; it was the most beloved bloom of spring, 
and gave a name to Spring — Lilac tide. The Lilac 
does not promise “ spring is coming ” ; it is the 
emblem of the presence of spring. Dr. Llolmes 
says, “ When Lilacs blossom, Summer cries, f Spring 
is here ' ” in every cheerful and lavish bloom. Lilacs 
shade the front yard ; Lilacs grow by the kitchen 
doorstep; Lilacs spring up beside the barn; Lilacs 
shade the well ; Lilacs hang over the spring house ; 
Lilacs crowd by the fence side and down the country 
road. In many colonial dooryards it was the only 
shrub — -known both to lettered and unlettered folk 
as Laylock, and spelt Laylock too. Walter Savage 
Landor, when Laylock had become antiquated, still 
clung to the word, and used it with a stubborn 
persistence such as he alone could compass, and 
