“Yes, sun flowers are magnets for the birds, but so are bitter sweet and clematis, and you know how lovely they would look on a trellis or growing up the side porch. You can find bitter sweet along the roads in the countryside, and wild clematis, too. Then you can buy a trumpet vine, and honeysuckle and Virginia creepers from a florist and have them well grown by next year. If I were in Janet’s place, I’d hide the ugly old barn and sheds with rows of sun flowers and castor oil bean plants. Then I’d train all sorts of vines up the sides of the buildings until the place was a thing of beauty instead of what it is today.”
“I’ll tell Janet what you said and let her come and take a few lessons from you, as I am doing,” laughed Norma.
“If it’s birds you girls want to coax to live about the house, you can’t have too many fruit or seed-bearing plants around.”
“It’s a pity the geraniums have no sweet perfume because it seems a waste of space to plant them just for their looks,” said Norma, as Mrs. Tompkins went to the mirror to pin on her hat.
“You’ll find anyone who harbors envy is seldom sweet or lovable, and geraniums mean ‘envy’ in the directory of flowers.”
“Really! I never knew that flowers meant anything excepting perfume and beauty,” exclaimed Norma, deeply interested.
“Oh, yes! Every flower has a meaning and many of them have very interesting legends connected with their history.”
“Oh, if you would tell us some of those legends at the scout council today how we would appreciate it!”
“I will, if you wish it. I will not only give the scouts a talk on flowers, but I will add a dessert after the heavy meal, to please the guests who will sit about my table of flowers,” laughed Mrs. Tompkins. “But they must agree not to feel offended if I tell them their flower for their natal day and give its meaning. It may not always please, you know.”
“How did you learn all these things, Mrs. Tompkins?”