HOW TO SEE ENGLISH GARDENS 349 



The chief flowers of each month are mentioned in the "Garden 

 Annual," which also contains an "almanac " that can be used for 

 writing in dates of flower shows, garden engagements, etc. Eng- 

 lish gardens are attractive the year round, because even in winter 

 the grass is green and because it is a great country for broad- 

 leaved evergreens, e. g., holly, box, aucuba, etc. The loveliest 

 time to visit England is from the middle of April to the middle of 

 June. The first date is not too late to see millions of primroses 

 and daffodils; the last is the time of rhododendrons and roses. 

 But all flowers bloom longer there than here, and if you are late 

 for your favourite flower in the south of England, you may catch 

 it in Scotland by taking a night's journey. 



The Mecca of botanists and gardeners in England is Kew 

 Gardens. Any one who can spare but a single day for gardens 

 should see that, because of the immense variety of flowers. Also 

 the rhododendron dell and rock garden are models and the Royal 

 Horticultural Society is the best of the kind in the world, and its 

 hall and gardens are lovely. The college gardens at Oxford are 

 also free to all and are one of the regular sights. Every loyal 

 American ought to see them and come back and help to establish 

 something of the kind here. Everybody thinks first of the King's 

 gardens, but they are hard to get into, and one can be happy 

 enough without moving heaven and earth for admission. Hamp- 

 ton Court is one of the show gardens of royalty where any one 

 may go. 



You will be sadly disappointed if you ask even the most 

 intelligent English horticulturists what are the most interesting 

 formal gardens, or wild gardens, or rock gardens, or water gardens, 

 etc. The English mind does not work that way. They say, 

 "You ought to see Blenheim, or Cleeve Prior, or Levens Hall," 



