New Britain herald., 1928-04-03
BY ELLEN EDDY SHAW Curator of the Brooklyn Botanical
 Garden
For NEA Service

The first gentle breath of spring reminds us that we really should have a flower garden of our own this year. Not alone for its fra grance and color. SBut because of the creative joy and inspiration that comes from working in the soil.
 Raising a garden is a little like loving care you put into it, tho more it thrives. You must guard constantly against obnoxious influ- ences, like weeds. The pleasure it brings outweighs the trouble it causes
 Two American Types
 Two types of gardens fit in we'll with the small yard space most Americans now boast. First, the perennial garden of more or less regular beauty that comes up year after year. Second. the old-fash- toned garden, reminiscent of grandmother
 For beginners in gardening, the oldfashioned garden is the better choice. Right now, when early American furniture is so popular, old fashioned gardens ride the same crest of favor.
 This type of garden really thrives best in a sunny spot be- cause it is essentially happy thing in itself. Also medium good soil suffices.
 Must Have Elm
 Old-fashioned gardens grow a wide variety of posies. But grand mother Sused always 10 have cer- tain flowers that an old-fashioned garden rWadays just cant seem to get along without.
 Among these are holly-hocks. A row of these staunch beauties is an inspiration to one bent by cares. Sentimental bleeding hearts must not be forgotten. Dianthus or pinks should lend their spicy fragrance. Sweet Alyssum makes g. nice, neat border. And surely when picking bouquet one needs 1 heliotrope, Petunias foX-glove. Zinnias. marigolds. and lilies of the valley!
 When starting a garden. get your soil in condition first. The 1 ideal fertilizer is routed manure. If you forgot it last faA, put it on immediately and spade or blow il in the minute the frost is out of the ground. Just before planting sprinkle a thin coating of chemical fertilizer or bone meal over the top of your garden soil.
 The time of planting depends on where you live. In sections corresponding to New York, mid dle May is the best time to put the flower seeds in. Follow the pack age instructions carefully as to how deeply and how thickly seeds should be planted.
 For rocky portions Of land you can plant baby's-breath. candy tuft, Clarkia, columbine. Portu- laca and Nasturtiums.
 Plan your garden on paper be- fore buying seeds or plants. Only one thing need be straight. tho border. Candy-tuft or Sweet Alys sum Is the conventional one fol the ld-fashioned garden.
 In choosing your flowers. th' amount of sun that your garder gets is determining factor. Ger tain flowers thrive best in mucf sun, others in less. The favorite: mentioned before will grow al. most anywhere.
 For the Sun
 For the very sunny garden witl southern and western exposure you can have Ageratum. balsm cornflowers. Gaillardias. peoples Nasturtiums. Portulaca. snapdrag gons and sun flowers.
 For shady gardens pansie! bloom encouragingly. as do Phlox Begonias, bluebells. ferns. fever few. Fuchsias, Godetias and Myrt lem Pemophila.
 There are no rules to hampe the ld-fashioned gardens assort ment of fragrance and color. Bu there is one consideration. Plan things that make sweet bouquet togethT For half the fun of tn old-faShioned garden is the jo you get in making up bouquet from it for your own home and fo friends.
 Show no Partiality
 The only precaution to the old fashioned garden devotee is t guard against having one type o flowers overrun others. The differ ent varieties must live in famil harmony. Therefore plant wit an eye to proportion and you vii not have to weed out certai blooms to make place for others.