APPENDIX 

 HOW TO SEE ENGLISH GARDENS 



ENGLAND is one great garden." We often hear this phrase, 

 but the glory of its meaning does not burst upon an Ameri- 

 can until he has set foot upon English soil. It means that 

 every home has its garden; that every foot of ground not occu- 

 pied by buildings is likely to be cultivated to the utmost; and 

 that one cannot drive or ride or walk anywhere without seeing 

 beautiful gardens. 



Why, then, a guide? Because it is hard to get into the best 

 gardens. It is easy enough to get into a private park, but it is as 

 difficult to get into a man's garden as into his house. At first the 

 red tape is irksome to an American. One hates to write to Lord 

 So-and-so, look up the proper salutation in De Brett, ask for per- 

 mission, wait a week until his lordship returns from the Ascot, and 

 then have him set a date two weeks hence when you will be in France. 



However, a good fee to the head gardener will often secure 

 admission to a great garden, provided the family is away. Again, 

 some of the most famous old gardens are open certain days and 

 hours in the week under conditions noted in Baedecker. And, 

 best of all, there is a perfect guide to all the great estates of Eng- 

 land, which costs only a shilling. It is called "The Garden 

 Annual," and can be ordered from Gardening, which is at 17 

 Furnival Street, Holborn, London, E. C. 



This "Garden Annual" was a steady joy to me in the spring and 

 summer of 1908. I spent eight weeks visiting gardens, and though 



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