New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-19
LOTE or FLOWERS.

Dean Hole in his delightful volume of memo
| ries refers to tho increasing love OF fiowers
| among the English poor as one OF the most
hopeful signs of social progress. lilo observed
with delight in his old age tendency on the
part of working people to have pottcd plants
growing in their window seats during the win
ter and roses clambcring over their roofs in
summer 1t was easy for the good Dean, who
had Thousands of rosctrccs in his own gardens,
TO believe that the world would rapidly grow
better if it could be induced TO take u hearty
interest in flowers. But he also perceived that
the virtue of the rose could not be purchased
at the florists stall in tho market. In order to
have the rose not only brighten the eyes but
also purify the heart and swcctcn the life, il
must be planted, cut back, watcrcd, protected
from enemies and faithfully watched over.
Then when it blooms and fills the garden walk
with fragrance tho human heart is in it and
is drawn coso TO tho divincncss that fills all
Nature.
If the ethical uses of Horticulture are rejected
as vagary Of transccndcnta philosophy the
artistic advantages and decorative effects are
indisputablc. England is n land where flowers
are cultivated by rich and poor alike, and not
a littlc of its charm for the visitor comes from
this spontaneous love Of beauty. Not only
are the meadows, lanes and hcaths lovely from
their hawthorn hedges, spreading beechcs and
elms and tangles Of wild flowers. but even the
grimy quarters OF the smoky manufacturing
towns are illuminated with bright touches of
color from hower-bcdS in front Of workmcn's
cottages. II is the national love Of flowers that
helps to make England a homclike, beautiful
and restfu country. How easy il would DO 10
transform some Of the darkest corners of New
York by lighting them up in summer time with
the blaze of great scarlet poppics The poor
est tenement house would lose its shabby, di-
apidaicd look il red and white climbing roses
were planted in front of it. There is room in
every neglected area for long double row Of
sweet peas which with care in the planting
and faithfulness in tho watering would bloom
from Juno TO October. With q rose cutting
here. and | o cents worth of seed there. and
love Of flowers in the poor mans heart, the face
Of lower Ncwlork and the Last Side could be
changed and invested with something OF the
English charm OF picturesque beauty.
so also the suburbs Of New-York could be
rendered far more attractive than they are if
there were more intelligent cultivation of
flowers and more artistic study of simple land
scape effects. Too wide discretion is left 10
gardeners, who insist upon cluttcring lawns
with shrubbcry and bringing together incon-
grious kinds Of flowers for the sake of variety
Of color. Every man ought to be his own
gardener until at least he learns to love flowers
for their own sake. The row of llacs near the
Longfclow house in Cambridge was simple
device, but it had an artistic grace of its own
A few doSwoods and rhododcndrons may suffice
to decorate spacious lawn. Pansies, roses,
sweet peas and ysanthemums, if varied in
color and cultivated in perfection, will light up
with bloom and beauty the largest garden from
April till December. But in order to have any
approach to perfection. as Dean Hole has said,
each must bloom in the heart OF tho gardener
as well as under the windows