"THE HOME OF THE TIARELLA" soms on a notable day. The processes of Nature go on; the seed-making follows, the plant may pass into its seasonal retirement. The garden is never two days alike, never tiresome-who wants strawberries every day in the year? Would these white trilliums be esteemed if with us continually? The time of the moss-pink is eagerly awaited at Dolobran. Great beds of it border a rocky walk in the " quarry."its carmine-pink blaze seems to absorb and store away the sunshine in which it luxuriates. While it is at its height. in a rocky, shady corner we find the lovely columbines lifting jeweled blossoms of red can any exotic pet present more of interest and life? In kindly nooks a great fern-cluster nestles away from the sunshine, close by 329 When Mr. Warren H. Manning. the landscape artist whose love for and acquaintance with American plants has accomplished this notable result, began the work at Dolobran, he found a succession of excavations from which buildingstone had been taken. These quarries, right in the woodland of chestnut, oak, maple, and dogwood which is the happy possession of the estate, were selected as caskets for the floral jewelry to be naturalized. No filling up was attempted, save as rich soil had to be introduced in the borders and fern-pockets. Between the two principal quarries rough stone steps were placed at several points, and appropriate plant life encouraged around and over these steps. The various paths of the garden are named, and unobtrusive but permanent labels give both common and botanical names to the inquiring visitor. There is a constant increase in the number of species, the test being only American origin and adaptability-the rich orange carpet of California poppies is hard by the bright scarlet of the Virginian silene, while on a lovely path in the woods, passing by a group of the delicate and exquisite maidenhair ferns native to the neighborhood, we find "THE RICHNESS OF THE WHITE BONESET" a noble American rhododendron. This latter aristocrat of our hills and mountains has not yet attained the majestic size of its nature at Dolobran, but its vigor proves its satisfaction with the environment. A colony of laurel is established in happy conditions in a chestnut grove, and is already a wealth of white and delicate pink in the blooming season. The dogwoods cannot be overlooked, for the native trees in the Dolobran groves have responded to the impulse of kindly care, and their snow-drifts of blossoms enrich the tender greens of the spring foliage along the roadsides, while their soft whiteness showing across the quarry takes the eye even from the glow of mosspinks. These splendid trees have even invaded the formal lawn, to its great distinction. East of the quarry a wood-road has a flourishing colony of the rare shortia from North Carolina-not yet common enough to have a common name! If we search carefully among the leaves and undergrowth, we may look upon the rare flowers of the ginger-plant, produced almost underground. All about are shadeloving plants, fern-clusters, trilliums, and the like. One of these stairways leading directly to the "old quarry" is itself a thing of beauty, covered with a delicate ivy, bordered by masses of ferns and rhododendrons, and giving upon tall forest trees. Down another rocky stairway, past nodding ferns and a pert plant of the Solomon's-seal, just about the time of the early rhododendrons, one looks across to a notable cluster of the American columbine to the left, while the steep slope to the right is a sheet of exquisite green fernfronds. Clear into the shady depths of this "old quarry" is the home of the tiarella, or foam-flower, with its delicate white spikes. A little later these grayishgreen plants close by give us a burst of forget-me-nots. Almost under our feet are colonies of the primrose-eyed quakerladies, dressed in lavender. Deeper yet, where the sun never lights, we step reluc tantly upon a wonderful moss carpet, softer to the tread than any handiwork of man, until in a bit of a cavern the peculiarly delicate fern-fronds of the phegopteris are before our admiring eyes. Step where we will, new beauties are seen. This old quarry is a treasure-house of shade-loving plants, and its cool breath is always refreshing. Here the plants which last week were delighting us in the larger or main quarry are just peeping out now-the shade and the "coolth" have provided a second edition of bloom for us. Let us return again to the main quarry, along the rich border of the west quarry path, with its changing hues from day to day. Clamber down into the lower walks at evening, amused by the hoarse croak of the frog who has made himself at home in the "gold pond," and we come upon a rare sight-the blooming of the yellow pitcher-plants. Their oddly formed flowers, to be followed later by the curious pitchers, gleam among the rushes and cattails as little lamps with amber globes. To the left, a little later, the light purple spikes of pontederia will be open. A step aside, and against the rock face shows a rank of the now fading flower Hence the additional interest felt in the blue flowers we have. At Dolobran, in a shady roadside nook, one is fairly startled at the springtime loveliness which the drooping blossoms of the bluet. or mertensia. afford. The shy flowers almost hide beneath the whitishgreen foliage, until closer looking discloses their shading from pale pink to richest sky-blue. sweetbrier clambers over the north quarry bank in perfect abandon. I saw it first near the sunset of a warm June day, and the great sheet of delicate pink, with the upspringing buds and twigs, gave a new "THE LOVELY COLUMBINE " Back of the blue, the clustered umbrellas of the May-apple are seen, the waxy white and almost concealed flowers just ready to open; and beyond, the wood vista of bursting leaf and bud is a fitting background. Along the shady "Engagement Glen" Mr. Manning has encouraged the wellknown spring-beauty to locate, and its delicate, starry white blossoms fairly carpet the slopes. No one will deny the appropriateness of the common name who sees this claytonia here. The violets at Dolobran are a revelation. White as well as blue, the delicate yellow, the bird'sfoot with its two-colored form-all are here, and happy they are! While springtime seems to hurry and crowd its profusion of flowers to make up for the bleak days of winter, the American garden has its glories of early summer as well as its rich autumn blossoms. In late June comes the wild-rose time-and what a time of beauty! The fragrant cause to thank God for eyes. The encouragement of food and care has brought this rose into a wonderful richness here, and not even the masses of the prairie-rose, the white loveliness of the multiflora, still less the rich hues and primp bushes of the French-grown June roses in the formal rose garden," cause one to waver in his admiration for this wild beauty. Just about rose time comes into bloom a handsome shrub, the oakleaved hydrangea. Its flat white heads border the quarry path, and on a rocky little promontory near by one sees an interesting result of Mr. Manning's desire to have growing things everywhere-the gray sedum has fairly covered the rock-face, dotted only here and there with associate plants. It is charming to see here, on another bold rock full in the sun, fine little colonies of the quaker-lady, which does also so well in the shade and coolness of the old quarry. In the bright August days we find a succession of warm yellow blooms. The soft sunflower presents its handsome flowers in a picturesque confusion, giving a sharp contrast to the accepted idea that all sunflowers are large and stiff and coarse. Not far away the delicate blossoms of the gaura hang along graceful branches, and a simply gorgeous cluster of rudbeckia, our common "black-eyed Susan," stops you with its bold beauty. Contrasting sharply, we catch the scarlet-hued bloom-heads of the bergamot. To add grace and delicacy to the picture, here are six-foot plants of the ragged-sailor (a most unaccountable "common name"), with lightly hung spikes of bright car mine. You have probably kicked aside the same "weed" on many a road-path! Dolobran is a repository for our lovely native asters and goldenrods, which in late summer give so much beauty. The great New England aster, and starry smaller ones, flank successive bits of the various goldenrods all through the September days, when the rich and mature greens of the tree foliage give place to occasional flashes of scarlet as a maple throws out its brilliant signal of the sum mer's end. There is much enjoyment in watching the gamut of greens struck by Dame Nature in any varied woodside, if only the scales have fallen from one's eyes. With the very hint of warmth in the March air, the willows show silvery green, and for three months the color harmony is changing and forming, until mid-July finds the established hues of maturity. with less of delicacy than strength and depth. If my reader has never seen the magic spring procession of greens, let him make a sharp note of it for the early months of next year, and count lost the opportunities he has missed! Here in this American garden I have intensely enjoyed Nature's growth of the leaves which breathe for the tree fraternity, and seen the whole range from delicate pinks, greens, and brighter red-purples of earliest spring to the robust and solid hues of August, giving place to the browns, yellows, and reds of autumn. In the main quarry a rare American poplar has some times shaken its spring foliage of silver and sea-green right in front of the mosspink garland, until one's eyes were almost surfeited with the color joy of it all! Do I give the impression that Dolobran's American garden is a great park in extent? I do not want to, for its richest setting covers a few acres only, and the variety and beauty are the result of Mr. Manning's careful planning, artistic conception, and sheer love for the work. The miles of Biltmore are but yards here. and well so, for in a happy spring morning one may grasp nearly the whole range of America's rich flora, less than an hour's trip from the shadow of William Penn's statue in Philadelphia. If the slight hint here given of the delights of this purely wild garden--for there have been mentioned but a chance few of the twelve hundred odd species growing at Dolobran-shall give an impetus to some one who needs to see the beauty and glory of our home plants. I shall be happy. The more friends one has in the appreci ation of Nature, the greater the enjoyment. Dolobran is becoming an epitome of America's plant wealth; but Dolobran can have no monopoly of our native flower jewels. A shady city back yard will give kindly place to ferns and trilliums from the woods, and a suburban place of limited extent may become a thing of unique beauty if we dress it in the inexpensive, easily procured plants of America. plants need not the coddling of the hotbed, nor do they require renewal (from gorgeous catalogues) every year; they lived here before you were born, and they are suited to the climate! |