XVII 

 VARIOUS GARDENS 



IF, on reflection, I have an ungratified wish in 

 gardening, it is the wish to live in a country 

 where were many fine gardens within easy dis- 

 tance from my own. There is no sight so stimu- 

 lating to the gardener as that of other people's 

 ways of growing and grouping flowers. Thus it 

 is that horticultural societies make annual and 

 semi-annual pilgrimage to fine gardens; amateurs 

 will soon group themselves into such bands as 

 these, garden clubs go forth bent upon searching 

 out such lovely and informing sights. For many 

 of us still, however, all our adventures, like those 

 of the Vicar of Wakefield, must be by the fireside, 

 all our travels from the blue bed to the brown. 

 For these the photograph, the printed page, must 

 serve for the charming sights themselves. 



This book began pianissimo with a rather hesi- 

 tating account of my own attempts at gardening; 

 it has continued crescendo as my experience 

 241 



