The Florida agriculturist., 1906-03-21

square beds of small size, bOrdered
with Box kept pruned in circular or
angular lines. There were no weeds
i'm the paths; grandmother looked
sharp after that; she simply would
not allow it. There were no untidy
corners. for grandmother would not
stand for that. Everything breathed
ease and comfort.
Grandmother had always a few of
her most favOrite flowers or sweet
smelling leaves around her in the
house. plants which are no more
cared for nowadays, because they have
gone out of fashion.
What is the special trait of an old
fashioned garden? Where did it or
iginate? What is it composed of? All
these questions | shall try to briefly
explain in this article.
In times gone by our fOrefathers
had to work harder on their farms
than the up-tO-date farmer has to,
on account of lack of help, machinery
in fact all the improvements of
modern civilization were missing The
consequence was that very much of
the work was laid on the shoulders
of the good housewife. Women of
those times were more fond of flowers
than they are nowadays, simply be-
cause there were SO few things i'm
comparison to what we have nova
days to give them pleasure and recre-
alton. They naturally had to fall back
on the easiest Obtainable pleasures of
life and therefore took to raising
flowers. Yet with all the duties of
home and farm they could not afford
to devote much time or space to them.
To save in both they had their gardens
right near the house.
Economy was the special trait of
the Old-fashiOned garden, saving time
and space. The walks were laid in
straight or strictly circular lines which
were bOrdered with the low growing
Box. Very little grass was allowed
to grow. Everything was laid out in
flower beds and mostly of perennial
plants or else of such that were easily
raised from seed right in the garden
without having the bother to start
them in the greenhouse. Such thing
was almost unknown at that time
Ihere was always bower, over
grown with HOneySuckle and Trum-
pet Vine. Table and seats were pro-
vided and everything so arranged that
the family could have their meals i'm
there. Grandmother had always
corner where she cared for her sweet
smelling herbs. Sweet Lavender,
Thyme, Peppermint, Sage. etc, were
found in every garden.
The Old-fashiOned garden is an imi-
tatiOn of the French character in gar
denlng. You can find those gardens
today yet in France everywhere.
Very poor it is in scenic beauty, as
we are used to seeing it i'm the English
Everything is kept in a |
certain form. Flowering as well as
foliage plants are massed together i'm
well defined beds, over the borders
of which they are not allowed to grow
Yet individually that style does not |
lack its charms. Such flowers certain |
" are always neat and comfortable. |
The early French settlers are supposed
TO have started this style here and it |
was vigorously adhered to in the 18th
and 18th centuries Some of those
gardens can be seen vet
In some parts of Virginia and Mary
Let me describe such garden to YOU
and perhaps you may be inclined to
start one. On the south side of the house
Is built porch This is all covered
with Honeysuckle or the old-fashioned
seven Sisters or Mary Washington
Rose. The covering is so dense that
you cannot see through it in the sum-
mer time. Small Uin1ouv ILL., o,o..