INTRODUCTION 
picturing old parks and pleasaunces, historic spots 
where romance was as busy as history, where duch¬ 
esses gave fetes and powdered gallants occasionally 
fought duels; telling too of village merry-makings with 
old-time games and dances; of magnolia-planted 
southern places dedicated to hospitality, or northern 
gardens whose generous gift of posies or scarlet berry 
the utmost rigor of the weather could not wholly dis¬ 
courage. 
In fact, the intention is to go wandering through 
many and many a lovely place of flowers and greenery, 
to show the most stately as well as the j oiliest of 
garden ways, possibly to moralize a bit on the habits, 
the virtues, and the vices of garden owners, to point 
out a few famous gardens and relate a few old tales. 
Above all, to indicate how the social value of a garden 
is coming to be better understood and enjoyed here in 
America; how even a very small place is capable of 
yielding a vast deal of pleasure, and how the secret of 
thoroughly using a garden is one well worth the 
knowing. 
The perfect garden should give something of its 
fragrance and beauty to the world at large, refreshing 
each passer-by with a glimpse at least of climbing 
flower and waving bough. But it must have hidden 
recesses known only to the favored; walls to keep it 
inviolate, shelter and peace and calm, or it is not really 
a garden. And now we will push open the gate. . . . 
*5 
