INTRODUCTION 



picturing old parks and pleasaunces, historic spots 

 where romance was as busy as history, where duch- 

 esses gave fetes and powdered gallants occasionally 

 fought duels ; telling too of village merry-makings with 

 old-time games and dances; of magnolia-planted 

 southern places dedicated to hospitality, or northern 

 gardens whose generous gift of posies or scarlet berry 

 the utmost rigor of the weather could not wholly dis- 

 courage. 



In fact, the intention is to go wandering through 

 many and many a lovely place of flowers and greenery, 

 to show the most stately as well as the jolliest of 

 garden ways, possibly to moralize a bit on the habits, 

 the virtues, and the vices of garden owners, to point 

 out a few famous gardens and relate a few old tales. 

 Above all, to indicate how the social value of a garden 

 is coming to be better understood and enjoyed here in 

 America; how even a very small place is capable of 

 yielding a vast deal of pleasure, and how the secret of 

 thoroughly using a garden is one well worth the 

 knowing. 



The perfect garden should give something of its 

 fragrance and beauty to the world at large, refreshing 

 each passer-by with a glimpse at least of climbing 

 flower and waving bough. But it must have hidden 

 recesses known only to the favored ; walls to keep it 

 inviolate, shelter and peace and calm, or it is not really 

 a garden. And now we will push open the gate. . . . 



15 



