»a«8> isftt^ 



Historic Gardens of Virginia 



beautiful animal lost its life. This so grieved their young mistress, 

 that she begged to have the fence pulled down and let them return 

 to their mountains. 



An unique feature of the garden is a red-brick serpentine wall, 

 extending around three sides of it. There is said to be only one 

 other of Its kind in the State, and that is the one at the University 

 of Virginia, another English Idea brought here, as If the flowers 

 needed the protection of a brick wall to keep off cold winds. Tradi- 

 tion says that after a time our great-grandfather realized the folly 

 of so much brick wall and said the place was to be called "Folly." 



In this old garden roses have always flourished. Beginning 

 with the burr rose or pink microphylla, which grew In a huge bush, 

 the cinnamon rose, the hundred-leaf rose, the seven sisters (a climb- 

 ing rose), the Persian yellow, the red Giant of Battles, the Pink 

 daily, the Hermosa, and the Souvenir de Malmalson, On one side 

 of the front porch, and trained up on the banisters, grew a white 

 microphylla; on the other side a Maiden's Blush rose; and on 

 the corner of the house climbing to the very eaves was a vigorous 

 single pink cluster rose, called by us the Kentucky rose. We must 

 not forget the pink damask rose, so dellclously sweet that Its petals 

 are used for pot-pourri or sprinkled In the linen closet. It Is from 

 this rose that the attar of rose perfume is made In Eastern coun- 

 tries. These old-time roses are now supplemented by the ramblers, 

 which luxuriantly cover the pergola with their profusion of bloom. 



The lilac and snow-ball bushes — especially one white lilac — 

 have grown so large, they can no longer be called anything but trees, 

 which are about fifteen feet high. Once the glory of the garden 

 was a Persian lilac; when in bloom it was a feathery mass of rosy 

 lavender blossoms with the most fascinating fragrance, a sight 

 never to be forgotten ! The flower border follows the graceful 

 curves of the serpentine wall, making charming, wavy masses and 

 sweeps of colour the entire extent of the wall. Driving up to the 

 front gate, hollyhocks, peeping over the wall, greet one in every 

 variety of colour. Later on In the season golden-glow extends a 



[330] 



