POSITION AND PLAN 25 
however amicable the relations between two 
families may be, there is always the possibility 
of a change in one or both households that 
may change all the circumstances absolutely. 
Be courteous, be considerate, make as gener- 
ous concessions as friendship may prompt — 
but be independent. 
Of the division and use of the ground space 
left after building there are only a few gen- 
eral things to be said here, this being a sub- 
ject for more special discussion in subsequent 
chapters. It is well for us to remember, 
however, that the most delightful small gar- 
dens that have ever been made have never 
been devoted wholly to flowers and flowering 
shrubs. These are the humble cottage gar- 
dens of the old world, which, though ablaze 
with flowers, furnish their quota of salads and 
greens, too, and of pungent herbs and fruits. 
And there is no doubt that greater thrift in 
gardening practice here would produce gar- 
dens of much greater interest and beauty. 
We are and always have been a nation of 
wasters; nowhere is this more apparent than 
in our handling of these small home plots. If 
we could reform ourselves in this respect it 
would be a great accomplishment from the 
esthetic as well as the practical point of view. 
