The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-03-16
TIE PLEASURE GARDEN.

The culture of flowers has ever been considered
one of the most elegant pleasures 1t isalso one
of the most gratifying to our feelings, for each
succeeding month puts forth some fresh blossom
in return for the care bestowed Even dread
mid-winter is partially enlivened by the fow-
ers of the gay lauristinus.
The illusions of the poets to flowers consti-
tute some of their happiest illustrations In
Decd no man can be truly poet unless he
has been a close observer of Nature. The
rose, the cowslip, the golden king-cup, the
violet, the "pied daisy" or, as it should be
written, "day's eye," have each embellished the
philosophy of Shakespeare; and nearly all the
poetic writer's of our day have, in succession,
discovered some new beauty in the gay domain
of flowers, from the rose and purple violet to
to the delicate acacia, or the circling. clematis
fair emblem of still fairer womani
In our experience of life-and we have had
our portion of its cares-we know of no relief
so gratifying to wearied spirit as that which
flower garden affords; and when circumstan-
ces have permitted us to leave musty folios,
and dry, dull tones, we have felt invigorated
| by stroll amid parterres brilliant with the
beauty of flowers and in our admiration of the
rich variety of Nature, we have exclaimed,
Being here, am man again" ]"
! Perhaps-for we are poetic in our feelings
this pleasure may arise from our associ-
ating female beauty with flowers, for, with us,
Marian is ever our lily, and Flora our rose y
The gallantry of French monarch compared
court without woman to a spring ungraced
by flowers; but, in estimation, fair beauty
amid the splendor of a garden, is herself a
court, and a sovereign too. She presents you
with hower-a rose, that vainly strives to
emulate the fairness of the hand that offers it;
or the double-eherry, which Shakespeare says
is like unto her lips; or a moss-rose, and "can
there flower that flower exceed p" Save in
the instance of the donor, we owe the roses
empire, but her checks vermeil "doth outvie
the rose" and her eyes are more. enchantingly
modest than the silky moss that envelopes the
beauty of her rival. The violet affords an
illustration of her sensibility and temper
dlfhdent, retireing, persuasive-like the deli
cious fragrance that steals upon our senses.
We have, in our immediate vicinity, nurse
ries containing some. splendid specimens of
plants and flowers; but were we possessed of
land within this city or its environs, we wouldf
in our love and admiration of flowers, lay out
princely garden, an Irem-a Jinnistan of
flowers. Every cottage on our domain should
have its fower-pot, and we would not suffer
any but a lover of Natures gifts to inhabit
them We would-but alas! we have not
these possessions, and can, therefore, only
recommend our plan to those who have.
We cannot close our desuitory remarks
without quoting Mary Robinson's beautiful
apostrophe to the snow-drop-the sign of
awakening Nature, which may aptly be con-
sidered as the emblem of Hope:
''The snow-drop, winters timid child,
Awakes to life bedewed with tears 7ls
And filings around its fragrance mild; ----
Ands where no rival fowrets bloom,
Amidst the bare and chilling gloom,
A beauteous gem appears. ass tf
All weak and wan, with head inclined,
Its parent breast, the drifted snow,
1t trembles, while theruthless wind ---H.
Bends its slim form ;; thetempest lowers,
Its emerald eye drops crystal showers
~ On its cold bed below.
Where er find thee, gentle flower,
Thou still art sweet and dear to me;
For have known the cheerless hour,
Have seen the sunbeams cold and pale,
Hare felt the chilling wintry gale,
And wept and shrunk, like thee!"