MY GARDEN 



CHAPTER I 

 INTRODUCTION 



IT is not proposed to submit excuses for this work. 

 Nowadays everybody with a garden larger than a 

 tablecloth rushes into print concerning it, and expects 

 us to follow through the whole procession of the 

 seasons on that particular and precious plot. We 

 are confronted with each plant, grass-blade, and 

 worm-cast ; we have the usual quotations from the 

 poets ; the usual round of successes during some 

 little passing outburst of climate; the customary 

 failures under our normal conditions of weather. 

 And now I am going to do it all over again ; because 

 to remain silent, if you have a garden, is to be noto- 

 rious. That we may escape charges of eccentricity, 

 therefore, we should all write garden books. In my 

 case the time has come ; the task can be evaded no 

 more. 



Let there be no obscurity or evasion or misunder- 

 standing. My garden is very small, and I know but 

 little concerning horticulture. I shall be perfectly 



frank about my failures ; I shall speak without false 



A 



