FOREWORD 
Again we greet our friends and customers far and near. To all of you we 
extend our warm thanks for your interest and patronage of Merry Gardens. 
It has been fun raising the thousands of plants we have shipped to all corners 
of our country and beyond its borders. The pleasure we have had collecting 
ditterent varieties of rare plants is equalled only by the gratifying response 
from our customers, and by letters, ideas and suggestions exchanged. 
A rare and unusual plant can make a friend, and when you multiply it by 
many hundreds we feel we have chosen well in concentrating on this type of 
mail order business, with no side lines except our fine perennials in their sea- 
son. 
We aim not to have the largest collection of any special plant, but the 
finest varieties of each. You will note some new varieties each year, and in 
this catalogue many listed in 1952 are again back in stock. 
You will find our plant prices reasonable, with no extra charge incorporated 
for postage. The latter is entirely separate, and that depends upon the U. S. 
Postal rates. 
We personally fill each order, selecting the finest plants and seeing that 
they are packed carefully so that they will reach you safely. 
The Garden Books and Hanging Baskets are again handled by Dorothy 
Kent of Camden, Maine. 
Here's wishing you all a happy growing year, and hoping Merry Gardens 
will have the pleasure of visits from many of you. 
Ervin and Ellen Ross 
We welcome you from our begonia greenhouse 
