6 NORTH SHORE BREEZE anda keener 
fountain, which is easily arranged and invariably beau- 
tiful. 
Another ornament which may be used is the sun- 
dial. It may not measure the hours, as it would be 
glad to do in a sunnier situation, but the motive is ap- 
propriate for any location in any garden. A stone base 
looks well, but is not imperative. The dial can be 
bought for a nominal sum, and set securely upon a tree 
stump, if a shade tree in a good situation has to be cut 
down. It is only necessary that the top should be plan- 
ed off perfectly level, and treated to a stain or filler, ‘o 
“make a proper finish. Then, if the points of the com- 
pass are properly observed, no mistake is possible. 
If the shade is deep, the sun-dial can sit in the cen- 
ter of a grass-plot, with walks all about it; but most 
shadow is not so deep as to require this, and a circular 
bed of flowers might enclose it, preferably of begonias 
edged with lobelia, or of sweet alyssum and mignonette. 
On the shady side of a garden, it is sometimes well 
to lay a brick walk, and thus utilize as a passage-way 
the portion which is most difficult to beautify. Between 
the walk and the boundary wall, roots of perennials 
will make a good border. It is a sheltered place for 
early bulbs in the spring. Crimson rambler roses, whici 
are strong and hardy growers in any location, can be 
trained upon trellises. 
The effect of this walk is much enhanced by an 
opening in the fence directly in front of the walk. This 
opening can be emphasized ‘by a wicket gate, or by an 
arch above, hung with climbing roses and the winsome 
wistaria. A Japanese lantern, hung beneath this arch, 
is still another happy thought. 
A brick walk in a garden, especially if set with 
borders of some height, presents the familiar theme of 
the vista, and as such should have a definite object, 
whether the desired end may be an arbor, a sun-dial, 
a fountain, a vase, a lily pond, a garden seat, or an 
arched gateway. 
Now, as to the treatment of a single beautiful speci- 
men of tree, which may stand separate, in the space ai- 
lotted to your flowers,—it is more beautiful than any 
arrangement of posy-beds, so let us not begrude it the 
proper space which it requires. As flowers will not 
thrive in its shadow, let the beds stop just short of the 
rain-drops falling from its boughs. Let a circular gravel 
walk surround it, with green grass only at. its base. 
By building a rustic stairway from the ground to 
the lower branches, such a tree may be transformed into 
an airy lookout for a summer day. A strong platform, 
or even a small and well-formed summer-house, can be 
fitted in among the branches without driving into the 
tree any iron nails or spikes. ae. 
If trees stand near the north side of a house, it is 
often difficult to make grass grow between the house 
and trees. For such a situation, the ideal vegetation is 
the fern, massed in clusters, as it is accustomed to grow 
in its native habitat. ‘he native varieties already men- 
tioned are the best for this purpose, as the maiden-hair, 
while extremely beautiful in its wild state, will seldom 
bear transplanting to a lawn. Many other kinds require 
sunshine to bring them to their best estate, as will be 
shown by the fact that they are found in_ hillside 
pastures, 
An improvement upon the planting of ferns alone 
is made by interspersing them with specimens of our 
native wild aster and meadow-rue. The latter plant is 
hardy, and bears transplanting well. Its foliage is simi- 
lar to that of the maiden-hair fern, and is but little less 
beautiful, while its delicate white flowers, produced 
early in the season, have a delightful fragrance and “1 
tasselated appearance. 
The native asters can easily be procured in-a half- 
dozen ‘different varieties, ranging from the small white 
frost-flowers to the tall and showy New England Aster, 
with its mass of royal purple blossoms. All the asters 
have a delicate foliage which remains inconspicuous 
during the summer months. ‘They come into blossom 
just as the ferns are beginning to fade, at the first hint 
of frost in the air, and their period of inflorescence in a 
sheltered situation often continues for six weeks, before 
it is checked by the severity of the weather. Each dif- 
ferent variety blooms at a little different time from the 
others, and the effect is highly satisfactory. 
If you are so fortunate as to have a bit of wood- 
land, or even a small grove, on your estate, do not be 
content until you have experimented with our native 
rhododendrons and mountain laurel, If the plants are 
carefully dug from a dry place in the open, they are 
almost sure to thrive. They need no protection in 
winter, unless it may be from the January sun; and for 
such a purpose the only requirement is an evergreen 
shelter, a mere screen of hemlock boughs, through which 
the wind is free to penetrate. 
April 30, 1915. 
