42 My GARDEN. 



the path. In front of these there is a flower border full of pinks, 

 picotees, snapdragons, pentstemons, and behind the roses vegetables 

 and strawberries are grown. 



By a little skilful planting and a turn in the walk, we come sud- 

 denly upon the orchard-house and Poor Man's house, and also upon 

 the willow bower by the water, whereby a totally different scene is 

 presented to the eye (plate 22). Here we are perplexed by many 

 paths : one leads to the orchard-house, another path to the Poor 

 Man's house, a third to the pear-tree walk, the fourth or apple-tree 

 walk passes to the croquet-ground, and the original walk itself is con- 

 tinued by the lake to the apparent boundary of the ground. Our 

 eyes are again deceived, for, by a short turn, we find ourselves in a 

 little picturesque garden with a pretty summer-house covered in front 

 with roses, with a bower on a mound, and the entrance into the indoor 

 fernery, which is reached by a sunken walk. The view into Bed- 

 dington Park, from the door of the fernery (vign. xxi.), is very charming, 

 especially in winter, when the snow-covered trees and grass form a 

 striking contrast with the perpetual spring of the fernery, which is 

 figured in the winter scene at the end of the book. I have seen visitors 

 quite startled when they have come unexpectedly upon this garden. 



From the summer-house garden we walk down the pear-tree walk, 

 and glance at my two hundred kinds of pears on one side. Peep- 

 ing over the palings into Beddington Park, which offers pretty wood- 

 like scenery with herds of cattle feeding on the herbage, we arrive at 

 the Valley of Ferns (plate 10), Really this valley so differs from any 

 other scene in the garden that its effect is striking. It is like a visit 

 to a. new country. Through its centre runs a pellucid, sparkling, 

 and bright stream, never freezing in winter and deliciously cool in 



summer : 



" That for itself a cooling dovert makes 

 'Gainst the hot season." — ^^KEats. 



On each side of its banks our English and North American ferns 

 grow, encircled but not overshadowed by trees, as fine as they do in 

 their natural habitats, At the extreme end of the valley of ferns is 



