'envoi 



The zcrifiiig of this book has been a hibor of love. I sxvid it forth on its mission ivitli the high 

 hope that it xcill give some measure of pleasure to all my readers — to you zvho read these lines. Its 

 object is to make you acquainted witli the out-of-doors. It longs to nuike you see nez^' beauties in 

 the commo)i things of the garden's care, the cheery oif spring begotten of the earth and air. It seeks 

 to driz'e from out your mind the worry of your daily strife and xvoo you with a lover's ^ro/ to the 

 glories of the " simple life." It tries to i^'in you back to Eden once again. 



My Contributors 



My thanks are due, first of all. to Mr. Arzcna Ferdiue Louglois. ivhose genial spirit was never 

 banished from tlie Eden of his youth, and zcho for more than tzcenty years has been my steadfast 

 friend. His love of flowers and dez'otion to his art have kept alive and beautiful z^'itliin his soul a 

 garden where the serpent of deception does not crawl and the apples of ashes do not grozv. In the 

 todsome days of preparation, zdicn my brain grezi' zveary ami my pen z^'as numb, his practical garden 

 experience and the felicity of phrase, characteristic of his race, zvere to me a cheer and a support. 



I am also indebted to Donbleday, Page & Company, publishers of Country Life in America and 

 The Garden Magazine, for the use of many garden viezv's ; also to Mr. N. R. Graz'cs for a nundier 

 of such z'iezvs; to Mr. Paul dc Longpre, the zvorld's greatest painter of flozver forms, for a viezv of 

 his grounds in California ; to Mr. E. Jl\ Brooks, vice-president of the Detroit United Railzvay, for a 

 z'iezv of the Ypsilanti pozi'er-house ; to Mr. L. IF. Tuller, Detroit, Mich., for a z'iezv of his hotel cafe; 

 to the Sisters of St. Mary's College for a number of zlez^'s from their grounds; to D. M. Eerry & 

 Co., for the loan of a cut; and to the Grand Trunk Literary and Scioititic Institute. Battle Creek, 

 Mich., for the cut illustrating the article on Eactory Grounds. 



And lastly, I zcaut to thank The Blade Printing and Paper Co., Toledo, Ohio, for the excellent 

 typography and artistic mechanical make-up of this book. I conhdcjitly beliez'c that in all the range of 

 horticultural literature there is nothing to surpass it in excellence of z^'orkmanship and beauty of hnish. 



