PREFACE 



'^ OME subjects are the copyright of a single pen, 

 ) others invite the fancy and invention of many 

 iters. The garden, even more than the house 

 lich it adorns, has in itself the seeds of such 

 inite variety that we would not lose a single 

 lume from the growing library which is already 

 dicated to its beauty. Few writers can be without 

 me useful thought to offer from their own experi- 

 ce, even if it be only to re-affirm an ancient 

 inciple, which, planted anew on some fresh page, 

 ly flower and bear fruit for many years to come. 

 This volume does not attempt to take the place 

 the architect or designer. It leaves, too, the 

 oice of flowers and shrubs to the reader and his 

 visers, and deals entirely with the problems of 

 ^-out, the general effect and the proper relation- 

 ip of all parts of a garden to the whole. It 



