Evening star., 1936-06-01

Let not the TACT be paramount tnat y
plant has been too much planted, per-
haps. but simply whether or not you
want it, that you like it, that 1t will I'LL
a need in your own yard.
This is the way to garden, on any
scale, for true garden happiness.
There is snobbery in gardening, as
elsewhere. There are good things so
much used that II one insists on re-
garding them in the abstract, and espe-
cially in regard.to numbers, he will tend
to shy away from them, whereas If he
plants such things as he wants, regard
less Of others, he will be in a fair way
to having the sort Of Garden his own
tastes demand.
That Is the only way to small garden
happiness. To keep up with the Jones,
in a garden way, is much worse than
trying to keep up with the Jones them
selves. 1t will spoil your yard for you,
If you try it. Whereas the garden made
as one pleases, even in defiance OF the
rules, will literally and hguratiyely be
ones own garden.
AS the years 60 by. the average gar
dener will insensibly grow into the finer
reaches Of his art.
That is, he will come to see that the
restrictions which many garden writer's
put on certain materials have not been
made arbitrarily, but simply as the re-
suit Of common sense working on mate
rails, with plenty of such materials to
work with. This means that the old gar
dener Is the voice Of experience. He
knowns because he has seen. The be-
ginner, and even the older hand, often
does not know, because out of the vast
sources Of materials only a few speci-
mems have passed through his hands.
1t is well, therefore, to listen to expert
ence, wherever it speaks, and accept
what it says-with reservations. These
reservations are necessary, too, for they
show that one is not hidebound one way
more than another.
There is no department of gardening
in which an open mind is necessary
more than in the use Of the various vines
Some say. do not use vines, they are
too messy" Others insist on using them,
messy or not. Indeed, the very "messi-
ness of which they speak is one of their
finest characteristics. 1t means that
they can and do grow. When one stops
to think Of plants which somehow re-
fuse to do their duty by US, it is plain
that anything which grows and Keeps on
growing is TO be cherished for that
very quality alone, if there were nothing
more.
There Is great deal more with vines,
chief Of which is coverage. This means
foliage, of course. The leaves of vines
are their crown and glory, and tell us
just where to use them. That is, if we
want to cover something. or hide some
thing, or form a screen Of some sort
with plant materials.
vine Of any sort is out of place, If
it does not do one of these things,
Proper use of this material depends
upon INTERVENING. Plant d otherwise
vine mostly is q nuisance. Even at
their best they demand close scrutiny,
from time to time, and some attention
as to their ways of growth. Vines that
get ahead OF the gardener, as the saying
is, become veritable nuiSanceS.
The common honeysuckle is one of
the worst. in this respect. 1t needs a
firm hand. When properly used and
Kept in check, it is a good vine, and not
to be sneered at because it is seen every-
where. When blossom time is at hand.
1t is in a special glory of its own, not
needing to shrink from competition with
the fancier honeysuckles of the hybrid
izer's art.