— all put together as the chief garden combination in use all over 
England, and the tree and shrub planting in the great places is the 
same all over the island — the same evergreens in the same combination. 
Of course, rural England is as lovely as ever it was, and so are 
the great parks, and the ensemble of cottages and cottage gardens as 
charming as ever, but a detailed analysis of it all makes one sure that 
the greater part of America — certainly Southern and Central Michi- 
gan — can be made as beautiful. But here is our task — the very first 
thing to do is to get Americans to love flowers as the English do, even 
the most common laborer. Then only can we make our country as 
beautiful as this. 
The Garden Club of America should start on an educational 
campaign; if it would, I am sure the greatest good could be accom- 
plished. But as far as garden material is concerned we can have it 
at home, of that I am convinced. 
Another thing, we certainly do not get the seeds and plants from 
American seedsmen that can be obtained here. I have attended a 
number of country and local flower shows. Such wonderful sweet 
peas, roses and dahlias are never mentioned in catalogues to which I 
have had access; and the Sutton's seeds I have obtained from Bod- 
dington do not turn out to be the varieties given here under the same 
name. 
Next to Miss Jekyll's garden, I have enjoyed most the borders 
at Hampton Court — color combinations just perfect, and such won- 
derful varieties. I have made a long list for the "Garden Magazine." 
The Rock Garden at Kew is very interesting, and in parts beautiful. 
It is the best of the thousands I have seen. They are all artificial — too 
rocky, if you ever saw the old-fashioned rockery, so fashionable along 
Mason and Dixon's line when I was a boy. We enjoyed the topiary 
yew garden at Parkwood House best of all. Around Birmingham 
there are a great many new houses and gardens, and many of these 
are charming. 
One thing more, Munstead Wood is a garden of odors and bees. 
I hope to have both. Miss Jekyll is going to send to the steamer some 
cuttings of a wonderful scented geranium; it scents the air for many 
feet. 
Very sincerely yours, 
Aldred Scott Warthin. 
(From the President of the Garden Club of Ann Arbor, Michigan.) 
