32 
THE FERN PARADISE. 
The Author was greatly interested by his visit 
to Mr. Devey’s 6 Fairy Grotto;’ for in one of the 
smallest of tiny back-yards he found a really mar¬ 
vellous illustration of what can be accomplished 
by patience, industry, and skill during odd 
moments stolen from a laborious calling. There 
was an ingenious imitation of a stalactite cavern, 
with an outlook seawards, the sea being extem¬ 
porized by a clever contrivance. There were 
miniature fountains, with rockwork and wild 
plants—some planted in interstices between the 
stones, others hung around in festoons. Odd 
pieces of china and glass were manufactured by 
the aid of cement into ornamental flower-pots, 
each of which was filled with some flowering 
plant or weed. In short, all kinds of odds and 
ends were turned to a floral purpose, and made to 
adorn a working man’s ‘ paradise ’—for such 
this little place really was to Mr. Devey. And 
everything was carefully and lovingly tended. At 
stated intervals the tiny garden was thrown open 
to the public, the charge of one penny being made 
to visitors; and the revenue thus derived was 
only just sufficient to cover the outlay on the 
