228 
• Old Time Gardens 
A pleasing little book entitled Dante s Garden 
has collected evidence, from his writings, of Dante’s 
love of green, growing things. The title is rather 
strained, since he rarely names individual flowers, 
and only refers vaguely to their emblematic signifi- 
cance. 1 would have entitled the book Dante' s Forest , 
since he chiefly refers to trees ; and the Italian gar- 
dens of his 
days were of 
trees rather 
than flowers. 
There are pas- 
sages in his 
writings which 
have led some 
of his worship- 
pers to believe 
that his child- 
hood was passed 
in a garden ; 
but these refer- 
ences are very 
indeterminate. 
The picture 
of a deserted 
garden, with its sad sentiment has charmed the fancy 
of many a poet. Hood, a true flower-lover, wrote 
this jingle in his Haunted House : — 
“ The Marigold amidst the nettles blew. 
The Gourd embrac’d the Rose bush in its ramble. 
The Thistle and the Stock together grew. 
The Hollyhock and Bramble. 
