The wageworker., 1910-04-15
PLANNING
A GARDEN

"Just what father will say have no
idea," began Doris, swinging pink
checked sun-bonnet over the porch
railing. But it was his letter that
really started me. So he is partly to
blame if he doesn't quite approve. And
he does want me to stay outdoors.
Everybody finds me out here, and
! don't pretend to apologize for envel-
oping aprons and garden tools. I've
dragged up enough porch furniture SO
that can entertain people and now I
don't interrupt things to dress. Out
here ginghams do very nicely"
ut is charming porch" remarked
Louise, with slight shiver, as she
carefully rolled off her delicate gloves
and lifted her fawn-gray skirts slight
ly. But the yard-isn't it bit dirty.
even for ginghams?"
Nov. for goodness sake, don't be
snobbish," pleaded Doris. tits love-
ly. And weren't you the very person
who advised me to give up the winter
term at school and come home, where
l could get well making flower gar
dens? That was the very day father
came for me with the news that this
house in the suburbs was ours.
came on to find snow everywhere and
no possible chance to do anything but
plan. Just when things began to get
sunny father was called away on this
tiresome business trip. Through my
conscientious efforts mothers life was
made a nightmare until she got father
to send long list of instructions and
plans for the garden.
Il started that very day In earnest.
Father wrote: Have the garden spaded
and arranged according to these plans,
and when l come Doris can do all the
planting under my Instructions
can see his smile as he wrote that.
What will he say to this. l wonder?
You see, had already made plans
of my own. He had sent for lots
of horticulturists' magazines and in
one of them l found a glorious plan
for formal garden-just the size Of
ours. OF course father wasn't spe-
cially interested in the flower side of
1t at all. He is SO crazy over sweet
corn and summer squashes that he
can't think of other things. When
he told me how much of the ground
could be mine kept the plan to my
self. for there seemed such oceans of
time to discuss it. After he went
south l talked it over with mother,
and she wrote him about some of my
plans. That was why he sent his.
So we started in, making every now
and then few changes that didn't
really matter.
Mother protested for a time, but
she hasn't said word for a week
. not since l started to dig the pool for
my irises and goldfish. Yes. that's it.
In the center will be bank of gravel,
but there will be mud bottom for the
long roots. And had pipes laid. so
there will be-a continual flow of water
across the pool. OF course there Is
the water tax to think of. as mother
r says, but maybe we can get a special
rate, since we want to use so much
!, water. Most things are cheaper at
wholesale, you know.
Along the sunny fence I've planted
hollyhocks and cosmos and coreopsis.
because they make amicable COM
!, rades when shoulder to shoulder as
:, my book says. Fathers corn was to
have been there. but it can go some
the difference in the looks-and on
;, the most prominent side of the yard,
too!
y THE beds all circle about the iris
:. pool and the paths are to be of grass,
with a four-foot border with sweet
alyssum, pansies and foliage plants,
just like the parks. And there are my
= poppy beds-'nymphs even in the
;. heart of fiowerdom, my book calls
Z. them.
F; THAT pillar? Oh, that is my sun.
: dial. Isn't it sweet? I had to have
one, for this article says: About the
: sundial clusters all the romance OF
:. the ages. 1t is enveloped in an atmo
- sphere of poetry
Mother and had our most serious
;. discussion over that bed on the north
side of the yard. have to wait fol
II father before l shall know about my
:, summer house. There l shall serve
n tea, with rambler roses and clematis
20 and wisteria climbing all about Fa
!, ther had selected that side for his
Ia asparagus beds and they were already
started, so yielded to mother in that
l love asparagus, don't you? And i
l must do without the summer hous.
I'll have the vines over the porch, a,
- =. mother suggested.
r. "Other vegetables? Well. yes, ia
- ther wants them, and am worried
~ to think where he can put them
- Why, he even wanted pumpkins ant
- cantaloups have left a bed TO
~. lettuce and radishes and such prett.
an things as that. The book advised it
uo AS for the rest, we can buy all tn
,s vegetables we want from the trucl
Ir. farmers around. l inquired abou
,s that
,d Il haven't written father my entir
plan 1t will be such a nice surpris