SMALL GARDENS

Evening Star, Issue 20428, 8 March 1930, Page 28

SMALL GARDENS

Those people who have more rooms in their houses than they can occupy or gardens so largo that they cannot familiarise themselves with their contents often do not derive so much pleasure from their possessions as do those whose homes just meet their wants, and who are acquainted with, can call by name, and perhaps tell the history of every plant growing in their gardens (.writes “Lonia,” in the ‘ Manawatu Daily Times’). The pleasure derived from gardening is in proportion to the knowledge, the care, and the love brought to bear on it. There aro few people who are not attracted by a beautiful garden or a brilliant bedding scheme, bub it takes more than a love of colour to make a success of u garden. Lovo lavished on a human being may bring disappointment, for human gratitude is proverbial ; but loving care bestowed upon the living things which adorn our gardens is sure to bring a blessing with it in the shape of health and peace. ]n gardening on a small scale, as well as on a largo, the chief requisite is a good, well tilled and properly manured soil, and it is better to invest a little money in the purchase of a few loads of good turfy soil, to improve the staple of the land where it is poor in the first place, than to struggle on with what is unsuitable. When a good start has been made the planting and Uio daily attention that iho various

cyops require will ho light ami interesting employment that anyone can do in spare time with benefit both to mind and body. The yield from small gardens in both flowers and vegetables is often remarkable, every inch of ground being made available either for pleasure or profit.