OUH GARDEN 
NEIGH 
WHAT GARDEN WEEK GIVES TO THE NATION 
HE Garden Magazine feels that it may congratulate 
itself in having originated the idea of a National 
Garden Week. It was observed generally April 
22 - 28 , with occasional deviations where advantage 
was taken of special conditions that seemed to coordin¬ 
ate for greater usefulness. The idea was born of a desire of 
this magazine to be of service in arousing active interest in 
all that “the garden” means. It was felt that in this time of 
world-wide unrest something was needed to stabilize conditions. 
We believed that nothing would be more helpful than to turn 
to gardening—that the nation as a whole might find the joy and 
peace and steadiness of purpose that are surely to be found 
in a garden—in sharing with the Almighty the miracle of produc¬ 
ing a blossom from mere earth and seeds. In this way was 
National Garden Week born. To arouse the entire nation to 
the value and timeliness of the idea we asked the cooperation 
of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs—that organization 
of women which holds the greatest power for good in our land 
to-day. And it is with pride and pleasure that we state that 
they unanimously adopted the plan. 
From the many thousands of letters that have come to us 
about National Garden Week, it has been forcefully brought 
home to us that we as a nation have not wandered very far 
from the simple, home-making phases of national life upon 
which alone are built national safety, and national progress. 
When our entire nation, President, governors, bankers, lawyers, 
boards of trade and chambers of commerce, fraternal organiza¬ 
tions and business firms, as well as more than ten thousand 
women’s and garden clubs were actively interested in Garden 
Week, we realized that this country of ours was forging stead¬ 
ily ahead along lines of home making, civic beautifying and 
community well-being. 
National Garden Week has afforded one of the most inspiring 
phases of the present day—a leading nation of the world work¬ 
ing to make life better and more beautiful. From coast to 
coast and from Canada to the Gulf, we learn that Garden Week 
was observed to the end that communities might realize their 
responsibility to the home-makers and that each individual 
might assume his share of responsibility toward his community. 
National Garden Week has helped children in congested city 
districts to gain a better idea of what life may mean in this 
country, it has brought a little of beauty and hope to men walled 
in behind prison bars, it has fostered neighborliness and made 
us realize anew that this is our America to make as beautiful 
as we will. 
W E SHALL urge National Garden Week each year until we 
have made our country a nation of home-owners, the 
garden-country of the whole world. Meantime we take this 
occasion to express our appreciation of the vigor and vision of 
The General Federation of Women’s Clubs in immediately sens¬ 
ing the potentialities of such coordinated activity in so whole¬ 
heartedly adopting the suggestion which we gave them and in so 
successfully launching a generous inspiration on its maiden 
voyage. 
Our thanks, too, to the numberless friends and garden neigh¬ 
bors the country over who, in great groups publicly or quietly in 
singleness, have furthered this nation-wide festival, thus bringing 
fresh joy and a comforting stability into the life of our land. 
And may we, without undue ostentation or repellent spiritual 
arrogance, be a little glad, and a little proud also, that it was 
within the four home walls of The Garden Magazine that 
National Garden Week came to birth. 
AS AT this time last year we gladly give over to the 
A “neighbors” several pages for intimate discussion of 
personal topics of the garden and may we take this opportunity 
of expressing our sincere thanks to those friends who from 
time to time add their bits of testimony concerning plants and 
procedure, and who so freely come with help! Many valued 
suggestions for our guidance also reach us in the letters to the 
“Open Column,” and inasmuch as our one endeavor is to 
please, will all our friends accept these remarks as a further 
imitation to let us hear from them? 
THE OPETt^ COLUMT^ 
Readers’ Interchange of Experience and Comment 
Welcome Word 
To the Editors of The Garden Magazines: 
WANT to take this opportunity of telling you how much I have 
enjoyed the magazine the last year; it seems as though each number 
has something that I specially wanted to know about. For instance, 
1 have been troubled with slugs and snails, and in the September Gar¬ 
den Magazine a man from California asks for a remedy and shortly 
someone answers from Oregon. I will try the suggested remedy of 
sharp sand, and then write you how it works. Last summer the slimy 
things repeatedly ate my Strawberries and Delphiniums, and I have to 
watch constantly that they do not get all my young shoots. I am very 
glad to note, too, that people having to garden in city yards are re¬ 
porting some of their work. The March number has so many interest¬ 
ing articles on Chrysanthemums. 1 can use only part of my garden 
space for flowers as most of one side is shaded by a large Maple tree, 
but just the same I am able to enjoy and cut flowers from the time the 
Narcissus start blooming till Jack Frost cuts the last one down, and 
that last one is usually a Climbing Rose.— Elsie Sheidigger, Louis¬ 
ville, Ky. 
Iris Lovers “Stop, Look, and Listen” 
To the Editors of the Garden Magazine: 
T HAS occurred to me that readers of the Garden Magazine might 
be interested in hearing about an Iris Show that is to take place in 
New Rochelle, N. Y. June 1st and 2nd. Several members of the Amer¬ 
ican Iris Society who live in New Rochelle or near by are planning to> 
hold an American I ris Society Show. The New York Botanical Garden 
and the Garden Club of New Rochelle have signified their intention of 
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