INTRODUCTION 



in becoming; in growing by ever new expressions 

 of the many-sided meaning of being. And out 

 of the consciousness of growth is born your joy. 



" In green old gardens, hidden away 



From sight of revel, and sound of strife 

 Here have I leisure to breathe and move, 



And to do my work in a nobler way; 



To sing my songs, and to say my say; 



To dream my dreams, and to love my love ; 



To hold my faith and to live my life, 



Making the most of its shadowy day." 



This confession of the poet to the many appeals 

 to which a garden responds, to the many aspects 

 of our nature which it satisfies, explains what I 

 have tried to hint of its fulfilling influences. In 

 a garden we are free of the stress and sight of 

 men's sordid bickerings; we are released from 

 the prison of depressing and debilitating conven- 

 tions. In a Garden we are brought into primal 

 relations with primal things; we understand the 

 joy of simply living, like children do, and the 

 one response to that is song. The blitheness of 

 being is in our blood. Here we may dream our 

 dreams forgetful of our past failures, heartened 

 by the encouraging hope here given us of what we 



