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■ r §3 
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OUR GARDEN'S. 
Oar springs are late; the ground is damp and soft 
up to the prescribed time for planting, so that one can 
not so well go about; then with me I am always so 
impatient to see the garden planted, that it is done 
without any plan, and I fear often presents a jumbled 
appearance; scarlet and pink are brought too near 
neighbors, for the good appearance, of either, not being 
in [bloom when set 
out; whereas if it 
were on paper, 
each plant would 
have its own re¬ 
served place, and 
a liarmonions 
grouping of colors 
be obtained. 
From my read¬ 
ing I was induced 
to try bedding out 
varieties of Bego¬ 
nias, such as Hy¬ 
brid, Multiflora, 
Garnea and others; 
poor shabby 
things; those that 
live to come in¬ 
doors, shall not be 
so treated again; 
by experience we 
learn. L o b e 1 i a 
Cardinalis I put 
in the open sun¬ 
shine ; it reveled in 
the heat; fairly 
dazzling were its 
long spikes of scar¬ 
let blossoms. Two 
long lanky speci¬ 
mens of Abutilon 
Thompsoni, were 
planted out; and 
contrary to the 
rules for variegated foliage, instead of fading, their 
blotches are of golden hue, and the slim sticks, young 
trees; so next season I will use them for shade trees, 
to screen my too sunny garden. Last spring I found 
my large house Ivy almost covered with scaly bug; it 
was planted in the ground and trained up along a 
shaded piazza. There must be an old feud between the 
scaly bug and ant, for, where but few had been seen 
before, they came in droves, whole settlements turned 
out, and made thoroughfares of the Ivy’s branches ; the 
bugs were no more, and the ants returned to their 
former quarters, so that will be stowed away for future 
reference. One portion of the garden is planted in 
thicket, with early blooming shrubs, but soon after 
the spring renovating, the weeds became so trouble- 
An Italian Garden. 
some I thought I would give something a grade higher 
a chance, and sowed Petunia seed plentifully; they 
grew wonderfully, needed no care, and have looked 
quite gay. 
The Chrysanthemums I put in pots much larger 
than they then needed, sinking them in the ground. 
When frosty nights come they are ready to come in, 
and their bloom will not be retarded by moving. The 
Lilies were not planted deep enough; the roots which 
give support to the blossom are at the base of the 
foliage, and if not well covered may not bloom, or 
cause the blossoms to be very inferior. Unlike most 
bulbs the Lily will not bloom well in rich earth. An¬ 
other year I shall give more attention to vases, for 
they certainly add very much to the appearance of the 
garden. I planted 
in one a Begonia 
Sanguinea, around 
it Ivy Geranium, 
varieties of white- 
leaf plants, Mau- 
randya and Con¬ 
volvulus minor; in 
another, the varie¬ 
gated Madeira Vine 
of shrubby nature, 
around it the deep 
red Coleus and an 
edge of Money woi t. 
Among the bas¬ 
ket plants I was 
much pleased with 
Begonia Glauco- 
phylla scandens; it 
has light green, 
pointed leaves, sal¬ 
mon-pink blossoms 
and trailing habit. 
Another extremely 
delicate and grace¬ 
ful-looking plant is 
the Pelargonium 
reflexum, slender 
black stem, small 
round leaves, re¬ 
minding one of the 
Maidens-hair Fern; 
the blossom is waxy 
white, with tiny 
black dots. 
In a very shady spot, a wire moss-lined basket, 
filled with wood Ferns, to which were added a few 
Lycopods, really made one feel cool to look upon it, 
so suggestive of a shady sequestered spot in the woods, 
gurgling water, the song of wild birds, and a feeling 
of calm and peace. 
Madison, Wis. Irene H. Williams. 
