individuality= of its own--some feature that stamps it as out of the
common run.

I remember seeing a tiny strip in a large town quite fairy-like in its
loveliness, and it has always been a lesson to me on what enthusiasm can
do. The old lady to whom it belonged was not rich, but an ardent lover of
all that is beautiful in nature and art; moreover, she did nearly all the
work herself. Though it was situated amid smoke and dirt, it almost
invariably looked bright and pretty, reminding one somehow, from its
quaintness, of the "days of long ago," for there were no geraniums, no
calceolarias, no lobelias, and not a single Portugal laurel in the whole
place. =Gardeners of the red, white, and blue school=, if any read this
book, will open their eyes at all this, and wonder, maybe, how a proper
garden could manage to exist without these indispensable plants. But then
it was not a proper garden in their sense of the term; paths were winding
instead of straight, flowers grew so well, and bloomed so abundantly that
they even ran into the walks occasionally, and, what was yet more
reprehensible, there was not a shadow of a box edging to =restrain= their
mad flight! Roses and jasmine threw their long flower-laden shoots over
the arches in wild luxuriance, and were a pretty sight, as viewed from the
seat hidden in a bower near by.

There was a small fernery, too, containing some of the choicest specimens
that can be grown in this country. Altogether it was a most charming
little garden, and gave infinite pleasure to the owner and her friends;
indeed, I for one have often been much less pleased with formal ground of
several acres in extent, though the latter might cost a mint of money to
keep up.

Experiments in the way of colour-schemes are most interesting, and should
appeal to ladies, who may gain ideas for their costumes from the blending
of shades in their garden, or _vice-versa_. Here a word of warning will
not be out of place; do not rely too much on the =coloured descriptions in
the catalogues=, for, as they are usually drawn up by men, they are
frequently inaccurate; so many men are =partially colour-blind=, and will
describe a crushed strawberry as a carmine! Frequently a flower will
change its colour, however, when in different soil and position, even in
the same district.

=THE DELL AT CHERTSEY.= A novel way of growing plants is to open up a
spring dell. I wonder if any of my readers have ever seen the one on St.
Ann'