 | The Triangular Society |  |
112
GRANDMOTHER'S GARDEN.
Grandmother's garden was brave to see,
Gorgeous with old-time plants and blooms,
All too common and cheap to be
Grown in modern parterres and rooms;
Old traditional herbs and flowers,
Some for pleasure and some for need,
Gifted, haply, with wondrous powers,—
Root, or petal, or bark, or seed.
Gorgeous with old-time plants and blooms,
All too common and cheap to be
Grown in modern parterres and rooms;
Old traditional herbs and flowers,
Some for pleasure and some for need,
Gifted, haply, with wondrous powers,—
Root, or petal, or bark, or seed.
All old fashions of leaf and root
Grew there, cherished for show or use;
Currant-bushes with clustered fruit
Red as garnets, and full of juice;
Tiger-lilies with beaded stalks,
Balm, and basil, and bitter rue,
Gay nasturtiums and four o'clocks—
Grandmother's garden was fair to view.
Grew there, cherished for show or use;
Currant-bushes with clustered fruit
Red as garnets, and full of juice;
Tiger-lilies with beaded stalks,
Balm, and basil, and bitter rue,
Gay nasturtiums and four o'clocks—
Grandmother's garden was fair to view.
Pinks—how rich in their stately prime!
Filled the air with a rare delight;
Lavender blended with sage and thyme;
Lilacs, purple and milky white,
Met and mingled and bloomed as one
Over the path, they grew so tall;
And tulip-torches, in wind and sun,
Flamed and flared by the southern wall.
Filled the air with a rare delight;
Lavender blended with sage and thyme;
Lilacs, purple and milky white,
Met and mingled and bloomed as one
Over the path, they grew so tall;
And tulip-torches, in wind and sun,
Flamed and flared by the southern wall.
Periwinkles with trailing vines,
Lordly lilies with creamy tint,
Bachelor's buttons and columbines,
Proud sweet-williams and odorous mint;
Heavy peonies, burning red,
Wonders of lush, redundant bloom,
Longed for a wider space to spread,
And flushed the redder for lack of room.
Lordly lilies with creamy tint,
Bachelor's buttons and columbines,
Proud sweet-williams and odorous mint;
Heavy peonies, burning red,
Wonders of lush, redundant bloom,
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And flushed the redder for lack of room.
Brilliant asters their prim heads tossed;
Dark blue monkshood, and hollyhocks
Smiling fearless at autumn's frost,
Waved and nodded along the walks;
Love-lies-bleeding forever drooped;
Disks of sun-flowers, bright and broad,
Watched like sentries; and fennel stooped
Over immortal Aaron's-rod.
Dark blue monkshood, and hollyhocks
Smiling fearless at autumn's frost,
Waved and nodded along the walks;
Love-lies-bleeding forever drooped;
Disks of sun-flowers, bright and broad,
Watched like sentries; and fennel stooped
Over immortal Aaron's-rod.
Cumfrey, dropping its waxen flowers,
Purple gooseberries, over-ripe—
Lady-grass, that I searched for hours,
Vainly trying to match a stripe,—
Pansies, bordering all the beds,
Ladies' delights for the children's sake,
Poppies, nodding their sleepy heads,
And yellow marigolds wide awake.
Purple gooseberries, over-ripe—
Lady-grass, that I searched for hours,
Vainly trying to match a stripe,—
Pansies, bordering all the beds,
Ladies' delights for the children's sake,
Poppies, nodding their sleepy heads,
And yellow marigolds wide awake.
Morning-glories, whose trumpets rung
Resonant with the rifling bees,
Daffodils, born when spring was young;
Vain narcissus, and gay sweet-peas
Clinging close, but with bright wings spread
Wide, like butterflies just alight;
Gauze-flowers fragile, to sunrise wed,
And bashful primrose that bloomed at night.
Resonant with the rifling bees,
Daffodils, born when spring was young;
Vain narcissus, and gay sweet-peas
Clinging close, but with bright wings spread
Wide, like butterflies just alight;
Gauze-flowers fragile, to sunrise wed,
And bashful primrose that bloomed at night.
Rich syringas, all honey-sweet,
Trim carnations of tenderest pink,
Bluebells, spite of the noonday heat
Holding dew for the birds to drink:
Marjoram, hyssop and caraway,
Damask-roses and mignonette;
Ah! sometimes at this distant day
I can fancy I smell them yet.
Trim carnations of tenderest pink,
Bluebells, spite of the noonday heat
Holding dew for the birds to drink:
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Damask-roses and mignonette;
Ah! sometimes at this distant day
I can fancy I smell them yet.
I have a garden of prouder claims,
Full of novelties bright and rare,
Modern flowers with stately names
Flaunt their wonderful beauty there;
Yet in threading its brilliant maze,
Oft my heart, with a homesick thrill
Whispers, dreaming of early days,
“Grandmother's garden was fairer still!”
Full of novelties bright and rare,
Modern flowers with stately names
Flaunt their wonderful beauty there;
Yet in threading its brilliant maze,
Oft my heart, with a homesick thrill
Whispers, dreaming of early days,
“Grandmother's garden was fairer still!”
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