BEAUTIFUL GARDENS

IN AMERICA

BOOKS BY LOUISE SHELTON

PUBLISHED BY CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

PLATE 1
"Mariemont," Newport, R. I. Mrs. Thomas J. Emory
After an autochrome photograph by Miss Johnston—Mrs. Hewitt

BEAUTIFUL GARDENS

IN AMERICA

BY

LOUISE SHELTON

SECOND EDITION

NEW YORK

CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

1916

COPYRIGHT, 1915, BY

CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

DEDICATED TO THE PRAISE OF THOSE AMERICAN

MEN AND WOMEN, OF WHATSOEVER

PERIOD, WHO HAVE PLANTED SO BEAUTIFULLY

THAT THEIR GARDENS ARE AN INSPIRATION

TO OTHERS IN ALL GENERATIONS

IN GREEN OLD GARDENS

Here may I live what life I please,
Married and buried out of sight,
Married to pleasure, and buried to pain,
Hidden away amongst scenes like these
Under the fans of the chestnut trees:
Living my child-life over again,
With the further hope of a fuller delight,
Blithe as the birds and wise as the bees.
In green old gardens hidden away
From sight of revel, and sound of strife,
Here have I leisure to breathe and move,
And do my work in a nobler way;
To sing my songs, and to say my say;
To dream my dreams, and to love my love,
To hold my faith and to live my life,
Making the most of its shadowy day.

—Violet Fane.

CONTENTS