Evening star., 1936-08-21

shrub that no one can be blamed for
trying it, even out of order. 1t is COM
mon observation that roses are the first
plants to be put in the new garden.
This will have one advantage-it will
give the garden a few good plants, in
all probability, by the time the gardener
comes to his senses. For the 10 he will
lose out of every dozen over a period of
five years, he will have at least 2 good
plants in the long run. Let us make
plain that by "loSs" in this connection
we do not mean dead bushes. Most Of
the rose loss will consist of varieties
which do not do good in the garden.
They will have leaves, they will bloom,
but both character, as a shrub, and
flowers will be disappointment. Just
how many millions of these rose losses
there are in the world there is no
earthly way of estimating. The observ-
er sees them everywhere, not only in
private gardens, but in public parks.
to admit his failure. Listen to him, you
must believe that all his roses are win
nerS. Secretly he would be glad to be
rid of them.
Rose failure or success does not lie
wholly in the plant itself. Some of it
is due to the planter, who simply will
not fertilize or spray properly or con-
sistently. The latter seems even more
essential, since it is continuous care
which makes roses, both bush and
climber, come up to expectations, if ever.
II
When we contrast this continuous
spraying and fertilizing with the lack
of these chores in the groundwork gar
den we see at once why the plants of
the latter are the plants for everyone,
not because they relieve one of work,
that is not it at all, but simply because
they are such good plants, plants which
will give the beginner especially the
glow Of satisfaction and urge to go on.
The standard plants, the things every
body has, constitute the real A B C of
the garden, and happy is he who learns
them first, along with the multiplication
table. In this way he puts first things
first and is not tempted to call for
dessert before he has eaten what is bet
ter for him.
Let us be careful to say that there
should be exceptions. While building
the small garden of the elementary
things, the blocks out of which true en-
joyment is made, one should experiment
now and then with flowers or other
plants few of ones friends have. This
keeps alive garden imagination, without
which gardening is not much fun. Just
a few of these. however, will be enough.
Probably not more than one or two
season, if so few can be called few.
The number of plants in the world
is almost as astonishing as the number
of insects. Often the gardener seems
to meet them both at one time, much
to his chagrin. 1t is possible to select
a new plant now and then, from the
huge list. The only thing to keep in
mind is not to expect something as fine
as the common things. The common
things are common because they are
fine. Have you ever stopped to think
of that? Few of the less-common plants
measure up, in beauty, in sureness, to
the old-time, tried and tested plants
familiar in millions of gardens. Some
of the less-knoWn ones, however, have
good points of their own. as well as
novelty. which sometimes makes up for
lack elsewhere. Stick to the standard
things, in the main, if you want garden
satisfaction. Time and the universal
gardener have placed the seal of their
inestimable approval upon them.