Evening star., 1949-07-11
This aid That
BIZ CharlesE. Traceuell
'TAKOMA PARK.

Dear Sir.
II have had so mua enjoyment from my
garden. There are such old-fashioned
things in it, as beIamot, and petunias
even zinnias and asts. This is my first
success with the latte and how wonderful
they are.
Gardening seems lille talked about these
days. but it is still glat satisfaction. Even
when one does not haze anything that will
set the eyes of neightrs and friends agog.
still there may be eDugh to justify the
labor OF love- and pleny Of excitement, too,
in a small and happyway.
1T seems to me we hear altogether too
much about excitemet and not enough
about peace. 1t is easyenough with a we'll
directed kick. to cause tlenty of excitement
in a dog. but undoubtedly he is a much
happier fellow when heE lying peacefully in
the grass. II
THE small garden,bf which mine is
representative, may no larger than the
proverbial postage stanp, but it still may
hold much interest, she work and real
peace Of mind. "Youi truly. E. S. H."
~
Peace of mind, peacdof soul, these are
desirable things, as To very successful
books testify.
Peace of mind, in prticular, is to be
found in many ways. Berry one has a pet
scheme.
Doing something to k(p mind and hand
busy is an old formula.
1t has been said the dbl finds something
for idle hands to do.
The gardening hand, bwever lightly ap-
piled, is not the idle han.
There always is something to be done. if
no more than trimminethe edge of the
grass.
This by the way. is a harden task often
overlooked Its doing d{ends upon ones
personal ideas of neatn4 He who cuts
and rakes and still doesnot trim is for
getting that peace of min cannot be COM
plete, that way; there MY be a nagging
corner of the mind hatthough it offers
no protest at the time, l3ves nevertheless
a gnawing something thatteeps peace from
being complete.
II
Something similar may be said about
failure to include the old lowers
There is a certain snolery in garden
ing, just as in other matteA
There are fashions and lends, all elabo-
rated in catalogues every ear.
To keep up with them i&nteresting.
Sometimes ones adherhce to trade
marked roses will keep on from planting
bergamot.
And that is wrong, for thl is fine plant
sturdy and green, with god blossoms and
unique scent.
Other old-timers, as oul correspondent
said, are zinnias, petunias dd asters And
she might have added bachi,r buttons, too
They come in pink, white, rS and blue, and
bed of them Is wonderful 1behold. inside
in vase "a yellow vase) The white and
blue ones make fine shot The flowers
are perfect, as If made of p$er.
The petunia Is always b&g worked on
by hybridistS. Today's offehgs are large,
fine color. but it is questihable whether
they add much to the pleasul once secured
by old gardeners when tho planted the
Rosy Morn variety.
X **
whole new world of nAes of plants
comes year after year.
The named varieties of th(gladiolus, for
instance. are all new, as con1ared with 20
years ago.
The variety Mrs. Pendleto1sold 20 years
ago is still favorite in fost shops. but
it probably would be dificultor the home
grower to find the bulbs, ore properly
called corms
The invasion of the thripa anecessitating
spraying of bulbs, has tendedio keep many
home gardeners from plantin these beau
ties.
Yet little care will enabt any one to
| grow good "glads," and to red the harvest
of interest and peace Of mil to be had
from growing them properly.
They still represent, along lith the iris,
perfect plants and flowers the nome
garden, There are many cations easily
enough grown by experts IN houses out
| which do not do so nicely foer average
home garden c9nditions. The 4wers named
are all easily grown, and witAa little care
will help any one secure a bit that peace
Of mind 50 necessary in tf's troubled