19^ FALL OF ONE OF THE SPRUCES 
there in numbers, while we have none of them. I 
admire the gladioli very much. The flowers of 
the improved varieties are large, velvety, and occur 
in almost every colour. But these plants require 
a great deal of care, while Joseph’s idea is to^ have 
a hardy garden that will to some extent be able to 
care for itself. Some time in the spring perhaps 
we shall try to set out a large bed of salvia in front 
of the house. It looks cheerful in the autumn, 
when other flowers have died. The salvia at 
Nestly Heights to-day almost outshone Joseph’s 
necktie. 
Mr. Hayden showed me his flowers with a great 
deal of pride. He said he took a book about them 
away with him to the mountains, and he had learned 
so many scientific names that on his return he quite 
amazed his son Percy. We have noticed often 
that Mr. Percy is very quiet whenever his father 
begins to talk about flowers. At Nestly Heights 
the gardeners had so completely removed all traces 
of any damage done by the great storm that one 
might think it had never been. 
“How odd It Is,” I said to Mr. Percy, “that three 
gardens can be so different as this one. Miss Wise- 
man’s, and Joseph’s. They are all made with 
flowers and many of the same shrubs.” 
“I should choose Joseph’s,” Mr. Percy replied 
promptly, and I thought this a very great compli- 
ment. 
“It is freer,” he continued, “and more natural.” 
