Evening star., 1932-05-02
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

fence, or a hedge is needed, not SO
much to keep outsiders out, as 10 keep
ones flowers IN. The ''parklike" treat
ment of residence communities Is
myth. 1t was elaborated by real es-
tate gentlemen who did not want TO
spend any more money than they had
to; no one can blame them for that,
perhaps 1t is perpetuated for various
reasons most of them false.
A background of some sort Is essen
tial If one is to spend real money on
bulbs, plants and the like. oack-
ground is necessary If there is TO De
any intelligent planting at all. A BACK
ground is essential If for no other rea-
son than to form a circuit for the daily
inspection Of growing things. Whetner
one gardens formally or informally, in
regard to the placement of shrubs ana
plants, he must do 1t from some place,
and this some place" must be der1-
mite boundary. A theoretical prop
erty line" is not enough.
X \
One Of the best points about real
boundary, whether wall, fence or well
grown hedge, is that it forms natural
walk-around, along which the early
morning inspection tour takes natural
and inevitable course.
This is the way to go, and here we
60, along by the seedlings which are
just poking their tiny green shoots
through the soil, by the lilacs, fresh
green leaves and few blossoms; by the
fashioned bleeding heart plant,
which is Stouter this year, but not as
tall.
Evidences of growth are looked for
eagerly, at this time of year. 1t is not
ynf
later, when every morning will reveal
some new flower to the sunrise. Es-
pecially will that time arrive with the
Towering of the gladioH. The early
walker in the dew looks forward to
that time, even more than any other.
For delight that is keen. in the gar
dening sense, there Is none to surpass
the morning inspection Of the new
gladiolus blooms. Emile Coue was
right, after all, for day by day, in
every way, they're getting better and
better. 1t was because his phrase was
natural that it met well defined need
in a queer world. Mankind must choose
between optimism and pessimism, In
the last event, and he is wise If he Sc
lects the former, even if he must wink
one eye to do it,
Mankind, Pope reminded us, tends
to look for its blessings in the future
This is form Of natural optimism
which blossoms along the garden path,
too. The morning walk holds its own
interests, but part of them, without
doubt, are the prospects of the future.
If these anticipationS were denied, the
stroll would be less than it is.
With futurity reduced to about four
he AA AkzA rfrf1 -%r
gardener finds that waiting hopefully
is part of his nature. Although he
may be of the most impatient char
acter. he will not chafe because his
plants do not come up and bloom over
night.
Time will bring Summer warmth to
them, and they will blossom. Even
now the leaves are beginning to come
out ON most things. The peonies are
turning from bronze TO green, and the
lilac leaves from light to dark green.
The leaves Of the iris, faithful and de-
pendable flowers, are more and more
coming into their natural beauty.
The satisfaction Of leaves!
Flowers are all very well, in their
way, and very much to be desired, but
on some mornings, along the garden
path the gardener is very well salts
fed with leaves. They are, after all,
the fundamental beauty Of plants.
Sometimes one forgets this simple fact.
Mostly We realize it with trees, although
the accent has been placed even on
blooms on them in some cases.
Leaves, in their various forms, give
Towering plants their definite shape
and character. They help clothe the
world with beauty, and at the same
time keep the plant alive, as a living
thing. Their chemical work speaks
at once of supreme intelligence and
mastery ability.
The growth Of leaf structure, there
fore. must be one Of the high
points of interest in the garden, and
all gardeners watch It as they make
the morning circuit at this time OF
year.