THE ROSE GARDEN 167 



conceit 1 had called The Expert proud. My 

 only wonder is that he has ever condescended 

 to look at my poor possessions. 



Never outside a show have I seen such 

 Roses ; and Roses are not all in that little 

 garden. Yet it is ibarely half an acre ; and 

 when he took possession in November 1902, it 

 was a mere dumping-ground for the rubbish of 

 the large house over the wall ; while the little 

 pond to which the Kingfisher comes to feast 

 on gold-fish was half full of old pots and pans. 



That pond is a treasure. The tons of mud 

 which were taken out before tall bulrushes and 

 fine water plants were planted round its edge, 

 have gone to enrich the marvellous Rose beds 

 and the rockery though, in sooth, the natural 

 soil of the garden, a rich clayey loam, needs 

 but little help. Its sloping banks on two sides 

 have been cut straight down, and by means of 

 strong posts and wattles made into a solid wall, 

 with a narrow grass path on the top ; while the 

 earth has been heaped up above into an en- 

 chanting ridge, partly rockery, but mostly 

 everything for it is impossible to enumerate 



