A FOREWORD TO THE 

 DEAR GARDEN-LOVER 



A little garden square and walVdj 

 And in it throve an ancient evergreen, 

 A y eta-tree, and all round it ran a walk 

 Of shingle, and a walk divided it. 



Tennyson. 



A LITTLE garden the year round — 

 how dear memory holds it in the 

 heart! What lessons it taught, 

 primer of all which you. Dear Garden-Lover, 

 will find in this little book! And if it chances 

 that you don't skip prefaces, things the author 

 may say of the pages to follow, or return to 

 demand from him an explanation of your pos- 

 sible disappointments, let him confide to you 

 that he might never have ventured forth into 

 the realms of your generosity, had not the 

 kindly encouragement of your neighbors al- 

 ready put seal of approval on the various es- 



