THE complaint is often made that writers of garden books stress conditions in the northeastern states, and neglect the rest of the country. This is partially true, but it is not nearly as limiting as many suppose. Good garden design is the same the country over. On this there can be no divergence of opin ion. And whereas certain plants grow better within particular geographical limits than others, nevertheless plants which thrive under the extreme climatic conditions of the northeast ern section will be found to be, generally, of value elsewhere.

There are, of course, exceptions especially among native spe cies that relish the cool dampness of northern woods, or pre fer the relative shortness of the hot, dry summers.

Adapting Plants to Climate and Soil

It will always be found that native plants are better suited to a particular locality than importations, be they from other sections of this country, or from abroad. Planting in the ver nacular of the section in which one is gardening is also espe cially satisfactory, for it makes for gardens of distinction and charm. It is unfortunate that much native flora is not on the market but has to be collected. Too long have American gar dens relied upon importations of doubtful adaptability to ex isting conditions here, when a marvelous, little-used collec tion of plants exists throughout the country.

For years gardeners have relied upon garden books of Eng lish origin. Surely it is not nearly so difficult to "translate" a book written for the northeastern section of the United States to one's own locality as these written for an absolutely differ ent set of climatic, geographic, and soil conditions. If north eastern gardeners prefer to plant in early May or in the fall, it should not be impossible for the southern or southwestern gardener to revise this calendar to suit his own locality. Aside from differences of this sort, there is little divergence of thought or practice the country over.

Soil Variations - South, Southwest, and West

Soil conditions do vary widely, however, from the gravelly loam of the northeastern section to the gumbo clay of the South, the adobe of the Southwest, and the alkaline soils of the West. But practically all garden books base their advice on the premise that "average garden loam" or "good garden soil" exists in the area under discussion. The problem is to bring your particular soil to this level. It may be an arduous task, but all gardening is a task and if the gardener is keen enough, no amount of labor will deter him from his goal.