The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-25

Bridesmaids, Etole de Lyon, Helen Gould or Baldwin, Kaiser1n Auguste Victoria, Marie Guillot, PerIe de Jardins, and many, many more."
 What lovely names they all have, like grand duchesses and princesses. But they are so regal in their beauty that their names are well chosen and aptly applied I remarked.
 'I notice that your hedges are so pretty and even around your place, and. in fact, everything Is so attractive that I think you are the most wonderful woman know to do all these things?" I con tinued.
 q love all my flowers so much' smil- ingly responded Mrs. Harding, herself the loveliest among them all.
 'I chose my hedge the Privet. because 1t is decidedly the best for our climate, the Amoor River being better than the California; she remarked.
 "I love the landscape effect of your front yard" I observed, with the beau tiful trees, grass and shrubs which you have chosen. There is so much symmetry in it and personally I have never cared for the old fashioned flower garden-the kind you sec for instance. at Tarrytown, in the old Washington Irving home pre- served where there Is a riot of color in flowers and plants and everything is so bizarre"
 ''I should like to talk to you about shrubs and grass, but 1t is too lengthy subject just now" said Mrs. Hard ing. T agree with you in regard to symmetry, and my ideas are exempli fled of course in my lawn An old gard ener said to me once that lawn without a few bright flowers was like a hat without trimming-but I prefer the grass and shrubs in front and masses of flowers at the back of the house."
 "Of course the other would be a mans idea" I said.
 Speaking of man. reminds me of the vegetable garden-but that Is in a class all by itself," laughingly said Mrs Harding, as we strolled under the great massive trees and wended our way over the beautiful lawn to the rear of the house, where Mrs. Harding showed me what she calls her picking" bed. By this she means the flower beds from which she gathers the flowers for her house, so that the others won't be dis turbed and upset by having them picked each day.
 It was a real treat to see every vase and bowl in the handsome Harding home filled with the choicest fowers-all artis- tically arranged by Mrs. Harding her self whose delight Is to do these pretty things.
 As left Mrs Harding said q suppose some people would call gardening a fad with me-and perhaps 1t Is, but every body has a fad of some sort and gar denng has been mine-a fad-a pleasure what you will-since I was little girl, and I suppose will be until I am an old, old woman. It is the best exercise in the world and rewards one not only in the beauty of ones surroundings, but 1t is the giver also of perfect health, without which happiness is impossible
 Recently upon the occasion of a visit of an old friend of MT. and Mrs. Hard ings to their handsome home the most beautiful impression was gleaned from the surroundings, and shortly afterward the following poem was sent to them, typifying,
 THE ORIGIN OF FLOWERS.
 When from the Creators mystic hand
 This universe in beauty grew:
 When star by star came gliding forth
 It's shining circuit to pursue;
 When this bright earth, serene and
 fair,
 Amid it's sister worlds was placed.
 And spheric harmonies began Then on his six days labor done, In high complaisance mild, Looks the Creator in his love-
 And saw 1t was good, and smiled,
 Beneath that smile the flowers sprang up,
 In beauty bloomed the trees And Eden, radiant before Grew loveler for these That smile still fingers on the earth. In garden, dell and lea,
 Where e'er bloom the gentle flowers. The smile of God we see