MY SHRUBS 125 



Struggling under increasing difficulties. For the Devon County 

 Council has lifted up a huge Secondary School within ten yards of 

 my garden. I begged them to respect old covenants under which I 

 purchased my home, but they would not. The peace of a Devonian 

 man of letters is nothing weighed against a cheap site for a public 

 building ; so my plea was swept aside, compensation refused, and 

 my garden and dwelling rendered valueless. In some countries 

 they would have respected a serious artist — not in England. Even 

 in some counties they might have thought twice before inflicting 

 this grave wrong upon me ; but not in my own county. Still, until 

 the Devon County Councillors commandeer my scanty acre for 

 their own purposes, and bid me go hence, I shall continue to cultivate 

 shrubs and contentment therein. These unexpected tribulations 

 must leave no scar, for men are like wolves : they will do things 

 when hunting in a pack that their cowardice would make them 

 shrink from single-handed. Combined, these worthy but unsports- 

 manlike souls possessed a giant's power ; and they used it like a 

 giant. 



Last winter in The Times there appeared an article on how a 

 gardener should enjoy his garden. I may quote from this pro- 

 nouncement, and declare that even thus do I take pleasure in my 

 modest garth. Only so may the full flavour and blessed anodyne 

 of the garden be properly appreciated : 



" The successful gardener is he who can enjoy his garden when 

 he is alone in it, as simply as though it were a spring meadow round 

 his house. He may have done what he will with nature ; but all 

 his labours will seem like nature to him, when he rests from them, 

 and he will forget that his flowers owe their well-being to his skill. 

 As for other gardens, there may be many more beautiful, and he 



