Introductory 



If the flowers about farmhouses did not rise in beauty, in every hue, 

 in fragrance! If the flowers around coloured folks' houses did 

 not rise — the morning glories, the scarlet bean, the prince's 

 feather and zinnias, the old pink roses, the tiger lilies. Close the 

 eyes, let yesterday and tomorrow rise with today, and all Virginia 

 is a garden! It smells of the rose, it smells of the locust blossom, 

 it smells of the cedar. 



So beautiful are the very names of homes and gardens in this 

 volume! Flower de Hundred, Weyanoke, Mount Airy, Sabine Hall, 

 Folly, Oatlands, Sweet Briar, Avenel, Chatham, Castle Hill, Shir- 

 ley, Westover, Brandon, and Upper Brandon, Tuckahoe, Rosegill, 

 Prestwould, Mirador, Morven, and many another! As beautiful 

 as the old names of the old roses. 



"A garden is a lovesome thing (God wot!) 

 Rose plot, 

 Fringed pool, 

 Ferned grot. 

 The veriest school of Peace ; and yet the fool 

 contends that God is not !'' 



They who make and use and open to others a garden are ser- 

 vants of us all. So let us praise them who made Virginia gardens. 

 And let us praise this book which opens for many the wicket gate. 



Mary Johnston. 



[i6] 



