Oldal 76 [76]
\Ovm9
EPREPBGAMES RIVER: PLANTATION: {BELT
Eo ee ene = = = a = ———
glory and a joy to her generation, and it is as she maintained it
that I shall try to describe it now. If not, strictly speaking, a
colonial garden, it at least preserves an old-world air—a sense
of rest and permanence pervades its scented walks, in spite of
present neglect and almost abandonment.
The house stands in a large yard—hardly a lawn—where
magnificent trees have within the last few years gone down before
successive storms. A large box circle, four or five feet high, oc¬
cupied the center. Formal beds of tulips were dotted here and
there, while a border of peonies lined the fence. A walk passed
the front porch and led to the rose arbour which sheltered the
garden gate, and four box-trees guarded this walk—only one of
which survives. The garden covered a large area, some of which
was later taken into the orchard, leaving about an acre and a half
in flowers, vegetables and small fruits. A plan accompanies this
description. Center, a magnolia tree. Around this, a circular
box-hedge, and in the space between, lilies of the valley. Inter¬
secting walks—wide enough for a cart to drive along—that ferti¬
lizers might the better be handled and spread—passed through
the garden, with flower borders on either hand. ‘These borders
also ran along walks following the line of fence. In the center of
each square were vegetables, strawberries or ornamental fruit and
nut-trees. Trellises held grapes, and there were two rose-covered
arbours. At intervals rosebushes stood, and still stand, for that
matter, seven and eight feet tall, a riot of bloom in May and early
June. In the autumn they bloom again with surpassing beauty.
Huge syringas stand at the angles, with spiraea and calycanthus.
The borders were edged with violets and spice-pinks. Back of
these are remembered among other plants snowdrops, tulips, butter¬
and-eggs, hyacinths, night shade, lavender, bay, Poet’s laurel,
Madonna lilies, yellow day lilies, citronella, star-jessamine and
peonies. Behind these, lilacs, pyrus japonica, golden honeysuckle,
flowering almond and, always, roses, and again—roses.
Formal scarlet geraniums came out of their cold-frames at
[45]