December is not dreary in the well-managed garden, but it is sometimes a month of marking time. There can be no dreariness when a ramble round the garden reveals many pleasant and interesting sights A clump of stainless Christmas Roses in full beauty, a bright little colony of hardy Cyclamens, a glowing patch of scarlet "Winter Gladiolus" {Schizostylis coccined); when the turned-back fibre reveals plump, green crowns on the plunged Hyacinths; when, in mild spells, flowers appear on the Primroses, the Winter Jasmine, the Winter Honeysuckle, and the perfumed Allspice {Chiinonanthus fragrans).

There is cheerfulness, too, in the berries of the evergreens. Pleasure is derived from the sight of neatly-dug borders, well-staked trees, securely-planted Roses, fruit and shrubs, smooth, trim lawns, neatly-trained trees on pergolas, walls, and vineries.

All this is possible without glass. With greenhouses there will be the delight of abundance of fragrant flowers: Primulas, Cyclamens, Star Cinerarias, Zonal Geraniums, Freesias, Camellias, and many other beautiful things.

The no-glass gardener will be able to mark time if his winter work is "forward " - if his Roses, trees, and shrubs are planted, his beds filled, his borders trimmed up and dug, his pruning completed, and the vacant spaces in his vegetable garden dug; but the chances are that if he has any leisure he will find many jobs to do - little embellishments and after-thoughts - attention to which will improve the garden and provide interesting occupation.