2 Making a Garden to Bloom This Year 
must consider the three kinds separately, 
or, at least, under two quite distinct head- 
ings. 
Obviously annuals offer the most prom- 
ising material for short-time gardening, 
although there are many plants of the 
other classes which mature rapidly enough 
to make them available, even starting them 
from seed, while practically any of them 
may be used if young plants are purchased 
in the spring instead of seed planted. A 
first-year garden may thus cost little or 
much, according as it is made entirely from 
seed or entirely from growing plants pur- 
chased in the nursery, or from a florist who 
deals in such permanent things. And even 
the annuals may be bought, ready growing, 
if time presses, or if one is averse to the 
trouble of raising them in the house, or 
suspects his own ability. But if plants 
are purchased, be sure that only such as 
are perfectly fresh and freshly lifted from 
the frames are accepted. These only will 
succeed, for annuals have only one sum- 
mer to do everything in, and a day with 
them is equivalent to a much longer period 
in the life of their sturdier perennial rela- 
tives. They cannot endure prolonged 
