A GARDEN DIARY 151 
sprout together. Past this, sweeping up from the 
region of the larches, comes our new grass walk, 
eleven feet wide, consequently a walk of pride 
to people who have hitherto subsisted upon two- 
foot tracks! With a fine easy curve it turns 
away to the south, making for the gate which 
divides the garden from the copse. That turn 
being shared by the new opening, will I think 
ensure that no new rush of cold air can come 
tearing in upon the flower-beds. But for this no 
hatchet or billhook would have been conducted 
to the spot by me. Our new little view is—face 
our neighbour’s opinions—a remarkably nice little 
view, but did it display Alps or Andes, in place 
of the despised Dorking downs, the right-minded 
gardener would in the latter case hesitate ; might 
even feel in the end that it would be too dearly 
purchased. 
Now for the next question, and a serious one. 
Are we to allow ourselves to make any garden 
use of this new clearing or not? This touches 
upon the larger question of meddling generally. 
To meddle, or not to meddle? Is it permissible 
—as regards what lies outside the strict garden 
boundaries—to interfere, or ought we to leave 
the whole matter to Nature, in other words to 
Chance ? 
To lay down the law dogmatically upon this 
point would be to lay it down for every garden 
in Great Britain, or all not girded by kitchen 
