"Divide our big yard. You take both the side beds, and plant in them whichever flowers you would most miss by staying home, and I will take the back bed and surprise you with it."
"Oh, that will be fun! I'll plant one side full of daisies, and the other just as full of buttercups. Then I can make all the daisy wreaths I please, and find out who loves butter and who don't, just the same as when we are up in the mountains."
John was a tree lover. It was his greatest joy to lie off with a favorite book under wide-spreading branches. So he instantly began devising what could be arranged to take a tree's place. He measured his plot, and then set about collecting old brooms. When he had eighteen he cut off the handles close to the brush, and then he sank them one foot in the ground. From the top of each handle he drew stout cord to the back fence, where, having driven some nails, he firmly fastened each cord.
Then he raked the earth down about half a foot, and sowed in a straight line from base to base of the handles a package of Japanese hops. His mother had told him this had most luxuriant foliage and was fine for trellises. Nothing hurt it—neither heat, drought, nor insects. However, John carefully watched the seeds' growth and watered the tender shoots frequently.
While the vines were growing, as he was somewhat of a carpenter, he made a low divan on which to throw a rug and pine pillows for the use of visitors who did not care to lie on the soft tan-bark, which served as carpet for his cool restful greenroom, and which throughout all the hot sultry summer gave thorough satisfaction.
Entrance was made at the extreme right, space for which was allowed at time of building. This part was kept well sodded, as the effect was prettier when viewed from the house. It also was in pleasing contrast to the dark brown of the tan-bark, and made the whole more effective in every way.
As for John's sister, she rarely missed the country, for she so very much enjoyed the freedom of gardening on her own account—weeding, watering, making wreaths and bouquets for her friends and herself.
But, as often happens to older gardeners, she met with disappointment in regard to her buttercup bed. Beyond the first few weeks they refused to bloom, so one day they were all dug up and verbena roots planted instead. These fairly ran riot, and the fantastic gay coloring had the veriest kaleidoscopic effect until frost came and out-of-door gardening was over.