Historic Gardens of Virginia 



and to the left it continues between walls of box and borders of 

 roses, roses, roses on one side and on the other the squares laid 

 out for vegetable and fruits. Among the latter a huge frame-work 

 bears the heavy branches of an ancient Vitis Vulpina, known to us 

 as the scuppernong grape. The transverse walk continues quite to 

 the other side of the great garden and is again sheltered by large 

 box-trees up to which it is still bordered with roses. Turning to 

 the left, to follow an equally broad walk, parallel to the main 

 walk, you pass a large garden square the left half of which is filled 

 with jonquils, daffodils and narcissi. All the rest is roses, save close 

 to the box border where there are shrubs of all varieties and a 

 wonderful ash-tree which, on this day in June, is laden with its 

 bloom of white fringe. 



Now you are under an arbour covered with a shower of pink 

 roses and, if you do not swoon with the emotion caused by all the 

 beauty you will in a few steps come to the soul of this garden — a 

 well, everlastingly old and everlastingly preserved, covered with a 

 pump without whose homely bounty beauty would perish. Nearby, 

 there is triangular bed bordered with box which bears within its 

 limits so much linked sweetness, so much refreshment and joy that 

 one is loath to leave it. Heliotrope, lilies, mignonette, rose- 

 geraniums, tea-roses, blue phlox, myosotis and the resurrection 

 lilies. As to this last, plant the bulbs in the fall and watch their 

 spring growth, green and promising, then let your hope die, for the 

 growth withers and decays to nothingness and you think you will 

 plant some other thing to comfort you, when in August there springs 

 to life a leafless stalk — many of them — and in a few days your heart 

 is gladdened by a vision of clusters of exquisite pink lilies, than 

 which there can be nothing more lovely. 



Just beyond the well stands an immense pecan tree planted by 

 John Randolph, of Roanoke, when on a visit to his relatives, the 

 Carters. It has borne for many years. In a square, to the right of 

 the tree, there is a large bed of Cynara Scolymus, the burr arti- 

 choke of ordinary parlance. Its gray-green leaves, its dilated, im- 



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