h the flowers ranged garland-wise among the rigid leaves, and the
stiff little savory-leaved aster or sand starwort with pale violet rays.
Forming a broad, irregular border about the asters are stout dwarf
bushes of the common wild rose (_humilis_), that bears its deep pink
flowers in late spring and early summer and then wears large round hips
that change slowly from green to deep glowing red, in time to make a
frame of coral beads for the asters.

Outside the hedge of bays, where a trodden pathway leads to the boat
landing, the weathered rocks, washed with soft tints blended of the
breath of sea mist and sunset rays, break through the sand. In the lee
of these, held in place by a line of stones, is a long, low bed of
large-flowered portulaca, borrowed from inland gardens, and yet so in
keeping with its surroundings as to seem a native flower of sea sands.

The fleshy leaves at a little distance suggest the form of many plants
of brackish marsh and creek edges, and even the glasswort itself. When
the day is gray, the flowers furl close and disappear, as it were, but
when the sun beats full upon the sand, a myriad upraised fleshy little
arms stretch out, each holding a coloured bowl to catch the sunbeams, as
if the heat made molten the sand of quartz and turned it into pottery in
tints of rose, yellow, amber, scarlet, and carnation striped. It was a
bold experiment, this garden in the sand, but already it is making good.

Then, too, what a refreshment to the eyes is it, when the unbroken
expanse of sky and sea before the house tires, to turn them landward
over the piece of flowers toward the cool green marshes ribboned with
the pale pink camphor-scented fleabane, the almost intangible sea
lavender, the great rose mallows and cat-tail flags of the wet ground,
the false indigo that, in the distance, reminds one of the broom of
Scottish hills, the orange-fringed orchis, pink sabbatia, purple
maritime gerardia, milkwort, the groundsel tree, that covers itself with
feathers in autumn, until, far away beyond the upland meadows, the
silver birches stand as outposts to the cool oak woods, in whose shade
the splendid yellow gerardia, or downy false foxglove, nourishes. Truly,
while the land garden excels in length of season and profusion, the
gardens of the sea appeal to the lighter fancies and add the charmed
spice of variety to out-of-door life.

One of the most interesting features of this cottage and its
surroundings is t