^ The Scented Cjarden $£, 



handed down through the ages that lies behind these 

 charmingly worded directions. I think what is most 

 lovable in these old books is the spirit of reverence which 

 pervades them. ' The principal delight is in the minde 

 singularly enriched with the knowledge of these visible 

 things, setting forth to us the invisible wisdome and 

 admirable workmanship of almightie God.' Lawson, the 

 author of those two fascinating books, A New Orchard 

 and Garden (the first book written for North Country 

 gardeners), and The Countrie Housewife' 's Garden (the 

 first book written for women gardeners), was a gardener 

 for forty-eight years before he wrote, and then, as he 

 tells us, he only ventured to write 'lest I should hide 

 the least talent given me of my Lord and Master in 

 Heaven.' 



I am writing this in a room filled with old books — a 

 library in which I am in the atmosphere of the fifteenth 

 century. Through the mullioned windows I see a 

 Macartney rose nearly 20 feet high covering part of a 

 wall with its polished leaves and exquisitely scented white 

 flowers. Beyond is the Anemone rose (R. sinica anemone), 

 which flowers in April. Near by are great bushes of 

 rosemary and through the windows comes the scent of 

 jasmine, both the white and the old-fashioned yellow 

 (R. revolutum) and sweet-briar. The walls of this library 

 are lined and the cupboards filled with the most remark- 

 able collection I know of herbals and old gardening books. 

 As a private collection it is probably unique and any 

 adequate description of it would fill a large volume. If one 

 were asked to name the most remarkable treasures in 

 this room I think one would say the Herbal of Apuleius 

 Barbarus (very few known copies), Le Grand Herbier, 



156 



