THE LURE OF THE GARDEN 



One of the most beautiful public gardens in the 

 world is that at Wisley, belonging to the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society. It was first laid out by a Mr. Wilson, 

 who purchased a hillside farm, Oakwood, for the pur- 

 pose of making a wild garden on a scope hitherto un- 

 imagined. By degrees he converted the sixty acres of 

 his holding into a perfect wonderland of bloom. Rare 

 flowering shrubs and trees from all over the world grew 

 at their ease among the native woods ; along the water- 

 courses the finest Oriental irises mingled their splendor 

 with simple English blossoms, and on the rocky slopes, 

 Alpine flowers crowded joyously. Rhododendrons 

 from the Himalayas and azaleas and cherries from 

 Japan were equally at home, while water-plants, bulbs, 

 perennials, and climbers appeared to follow everywhere 

 their own sweet will. 



After Wilson's death, Sir Thomas Hanbury bought 

 this lovely place and presented it to the society, then 

 t at its wits' end to find suitable grounds to replace those 

 in its possession at Chiswick, which the growing en- 

 croachment of London was wiping out of existence. 

 Of course, some changes had to be made to fit the gar- 

 den for the uses of the society, but these were not 

 radical, and the place remains uniquely charming. 



There are many botanical gardens in the tropics, 

 chief among them, probably, being those situated at 

 Peradeniya, in the center of Ceylon. These gardens 

 are beautifully laid out, and are largely employed in 



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