*, ; ^ a*;.," -,*>- > -. " 



;"M?:- 



4 MY GARDEN 



recently, since Kent* "leaped the fence and saw that 

 all nature was a garden," that such an anomaly as a 

 barrierless garden was thought of, much less perpe- 

 trated. In the early gardening days of the old world 

 walls and stout fences were needed for protection; but 

 later, in less strenuous times, were retained for the sake 

 of the peace and privacy they insured. And, it seems to 

 me, that no pleasanter picture for our emulation can be 

 called to mind than those little walled gardens of long 

 ago the trim, straight paths, the little beds and nar- 

 row, straight borders filled with friendly and lovely 

 things, the shadowing Crab and Cherry trees a spot 

 converted from the common land and made intimate and 

 personal, sacred to beauty and sweetness, to delight- 

 ful work and quiet meditation. To me, a garden un- 

 enclosed can never quite deserve the name, however 

 beautiful the flowers; and I feel sure that any one who 

 has ever owned a garden gate, and known the rare en- 

 joyment of passing through and closing it behind him, 

 will understand and support my preference. 



There are many ways of encompassing the garden; 

 walls of old brick or stone create an especially agreeable 

 atmosphere and a splendid background for the flowers, 

 but in many cases these are not possible and sometimes 

 not desirable, and one has the choice between clipped or 

 free-growing hedges, trellis or paling fences, wire fences 

 overgrown with vines, or posts set at intervals with ropes 



*Walpole's "Modern Gardening." 



