PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION 



A NUMBER of years have already elapsed since the second 

 edition of this book appeared, and during that interval 

 there has been a very great revival of gardening in England, 

 and works on the subject have multiplied with extraordinary 

 rapidity. Few volumes, however, have been devoted to the 

 early history, and but little has been produced from the sources 

 I endeavoured to open up, and to prepare for further investiga- 

 tion. Although details of countless gardens in the kingdom 

 have been published, no other attempt has been made to classify 

 or arrange them chronologically. No one else has tried to 

 review consecutively the changes which have taken place, and 

 the fashions which have prevailed, or to follow the process of 

 development which has gradually led up to the modern garden, 

 and I believe this volume still remains the only work of refer- 

 ence on the subject. 



In these circumstances it appears a new edition may be 

 welcome. Here and there I have been able to add a few facts 

 from original authorities to further illustrate each period, such 

 as notes from the MSS. records of Westminster Abbey, from 

 those of the Gardeners' Company, or of Humphry Repton at 

 a still later date. The most important additions are with 

 regard to the work of Le Notre in this country. For some of 

 this information I am indebted to the help of friends, particu- 

 larly of M. Edouard Andre, Miss Sybil Buxton, and Miss 

 Godden. The chapter dealing with the nineteenth century has 

 been almost entirely rewritten. Many suggestions of possible 

 developments thrown out fifteen years ago have proved 'pro- 

 phetic, and are now facts, and have accordingly been treated 



