PREFACE. vii 



Because the old gardens are what they are -beautiful 

 yesterday, beautiful to-day ', and beautiful always we do 

 well to turn to them, not to copy their exact lines, nor to 

 limit ourselves to the range of their ornament and effects, 

 but to glean hints for our garden-enterprise to-day, to drink 

 of their spirit, to gain impulsion from them. As often as 

 not, the forgotten field proves the richest of pastures. 



J. D. S. 



THE CROFT, WEST WICKHAM, KENT, 

 Oct. 8, 1890. 



