Chapter I: Front Matter

Old Time Gardens

OLD-TIME GARDENS

_Newly set forth_
_by_

ALICE MORSE EARLE

_A BOOK OF_
THE SWEET O' THE YEAR

"_Life is sweet, brother! There's day and night, brother!
both sweet things: sun, moon and stars, brother! all
sweet things: There is likewise a wind on the heath._"

NEW YORK
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
LONDON MACMILLAN & CO LTD
MCMII

_All rights reserved_

COPYRIGHT, 1901,
BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.

Set up and electrotyped November, 1901. Reprinted December, 1901;
January, 1902.

_Norwood Press_
_J. S. Cushing & Co.--Berwick & Smith_
_Norwood, Mass., U.S.A._

ALICE CLARY EARLE

TO WHOSE KNOWLEDGE OF FLOWERS

AND LOVE OF FLOWER LORE

I OWE MANY PAGES OF THIS BOOK....]

Contents

CHAPTER PAGE

I. COLONIAL GARDEN-MAKING 1

II. FRONT DOORYARDS 38

III. VARIED GARDENS FAIR 54

IV. BOX EDGINGS 91

V. THE HERB GARDEN 107

VI. IN LILAC TIDE 132

VII. OLD FLOWER FAVORITES 161

VIII. COMFORT ME WITH APPLES 192

IX. GARDENS OF THE POETS 215

X. THE CHARM OF COLOR 233

XI. THE BLUE FLOWER BORDER 252

XII. PLANT NAMES 280

XIII. TUSSY-MUSSIES 296

XIV. JOAN SILVER-PIN 309

XV. CHILDHOOD IN A GARDEN 326

XVI. MEETIN' SEED AND SABBATH DAY POSIES 341

XVII. SUN-DIALS 353

XVIII. GARDEN FURNISHINGS 383

XIX. GARDEN BOUNDARIES 399

XX. A MOONLIGHT GARDEN 415

XXI. FLOWERS OF MYSTERY 433

XXII. ROSES OF YESTERDAY 459

INDEX 479

List of Illustrations

The end papers of this book bear a design of the flower Ambrosia.

The vignette on the title-page is re-drawn from one in _The Compleat Body of Husbandry_, Thomas Hale, 1756. It represents "Love laying out the surface of the earth in a garden."

The device of the dedication is an ancient garden-knot for flowers, from _A New Orchard and Garden_, William Lawson, 1608.

The chapter initials are from old wood-cut initials in the English Herbals of Gerarde, Parkinson, and Cole.

PAGE

_Garden of Johnson Mansion, Germantown. Photographed
by Henry Troth_ facing 4

_Garden at Grumblethorp, Home of Charles J. Wister, Esq.,
Germantown, Pennsylvania_ 7

_Garden of Bartram House, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania_ 9

_Garden of Abigail Adams, Quincy, Massachusetts_ 10

_Garden at Mount Vernon-on-the-Potomac, Virginia. Home of
George Washington_ facing 12

_Gate and Hedge of Preston Garden, Columbia, South Carolina_ 15

_Fountain Path in Preston Garden, Columbia, South Carolina_ 18

_Door in Wall of Kitchen Garden at Van Cortlandt Manor.
Croton-on-Hudson, New York. Photographed by J.
Horace McFarland_ facing 20

_Garden of Van Cortlandt Manor. Photographed by J. Horace
McFarland_ facing 24

_Garden at Prince Homestead, Flushing, Long Island_ 28

_Old Dutch Garden of Bergen Homestead, Bay Ridge, Long
Island_ facing 32

_Garden at Duck Cove, Narragansett, Rhode Island_ 35

_The Flowering Almond under the Window. Photographed by
Eva E. Newell_ 39

_Peter's Wreath. Photographed by Eva E. Newell_ 41

_Peonies in Garden of John Robinson, Esq., Salem, Massachusetts.
Photographed by Herschel F. Davis_ facing 42

_White Peonies. Photographed by Mary F. C. Paschall_ 42

_Yellow Day Lilies. Photographed by Clifton Johnson_ facing 48

_Orange Lilies. Photographed by Eva E. Newell_ 50

_Preston Garden, Columbia, South Carolina_ facing 54

_Box-edged Parterre at Hampton, County Baltimore, Maryland.
Home of Mrs. John Ridgely. Photographed by Elizabeth
W. Trescot_ 57

_Parterre and Clipped Box at Hampton, County Baltimore,
Maryland. Home of Mrs. John Ridgely. Photographed
by Elizabeth W. Trescot_ 60

_Garden of Mrs. Mabel Osgood Wright, Waldstein, Fairfield,
Connecticut. Photographed by Mabel Osgood Wright_ 63

_A Shaded Walk. In the Garden of Miss Harriet P. F. Burnside,
Worcester, Massachusetts. Photographed by Herschel
F. Davis_ facing 64

_Roses and Larkspur in the Garden of Miss Harriet P. F.
Burnside, Worcester, Massachusetts. Photographed by
Herschel F. Davis_ 65

_The Homely Back Yard. Photographed by Henry Troth_ facing 66

_Covered Well at Home of Bishop Berkeley, Whitehall, Newport,
Rhode Island_ 68

_Kitchen Doorway and Porch at The Hedges, New Hope, County
Bucks, Pennsylvania_ 70

_Greenwood, Thomasville, Georgia_ 73

_Roses and Violets in Garden of Greenwood, Thomasville,
Georgia_ facing 74

_Water Garden at Sylvester Manor, Shelter Island, New York.
Home of Miss Cornelia Horsford_ 75

_Garden at Avonwood Court, Haverford, Pennsylvania. Country-seat
of Charles E. Mather, Esq. Photographed by
J. Horace McFarland_ facing 76

_Terrace Wall at Drumthwacket, Princeton, New Jersey.
Country-seat of M. Taylor Pyne, Esq._ 76

_Garden at Drumthwacket, Princeton, New Jersey. Country-seat
of M. Taylor Pyne, Esq._ 77

_Sun-dial at Avonwood Court, Haverford, Pennsylvania.
Country-seat of Charles E. Mather, Esq. Photographed
by J. Horace McFarland_ facing 80

_Entrance Porch and Gate to the Rose Garden at Yaddo, Saratoga,
New York. Country-seat of Spencer Trask, Esq.
Photographed by Gustave Lorey_ 82

_Pergola and Terrace Walk in Rose Garden at Yaddo, Saratoga,
New York. Country-seat of Spencer Trask, Esq.
Photographed by Gustave Lorey_ 83

_Statue of Christalan in Rose Garden at Yaddo, Saratoga, New
York. Country-seat of Spencer Trask, Esq. Photographed
by Gustave Lorey_ 84

_Sun-dial in Rose Garden at Yaddo, Saratoga, New York.
Country-seat of Spencer Trask, Esq. Photographed by
Gustave Lorey_ 86

_Bronze Dial-face in Rose Garden at Yaddo, Saratoga, New
York. Country-seat of Spencer Trask, Esq. Photographed
by Gustave Lorey_ 87

_Ancient Pine in Garden at Yaddo, Saratoga, New York.
Country-seat of Spencer Trask, Esq. Photographed by
Gustave Lorey_ 89

_House and Garden at Napanock, County Ulster, New York.
Photographed by Edward Lamson Henry, N. A._ facing 92

_Box Parterre at Hampton, County Baltimore, Maryland.
Home of Mrs. John Ridgely. Photographed by Elizabeth
W. Trescot_ 95

_Sun-dial in Box at Broughton Castle, Banbury, England.
Garden of Lady Lennox_ 98

_Sun-dial in Box at Ascott, near Leighton Buzzard, England.
Country-seat of Mr. Leopold Rothschild_ facing 100

_Garden at Tudor Place, Georgetown, District of Columbia.
Home of Mrs. Beverly Kennon. Photographed by Elizabeth
W. Trescot_ 103

_Anchor-shaped Flower Beds, Kingston, Rhode Island. Photographed
by Sarah P. Marchant_ 104

_Ancient Box at Tuckahoe, Virginia_ 105

_Herb Garden at White Birches, Elmhurst, Illinois_ 108

_Garden at White Birches, Elmhurst, Illinois_ 111

_Garden of Manning Homestead, Salem, Massachusetts_ facing 112

_Under the Garret Eaves of Ward Homestead, Shrewsbury,
Massachusetts_ 116

_A Gatherer of Simples. Photographed by Mary F. C.
Paschall_ facing 120

_Sage. Photographed by Mary F. C. Paschall_ 126

_Tansy. Photographed by Mary F. C. Paschall_ 129

_Garden of Mrs. Abraham Lansing, Albany, New York. Photographed
by Gustave Lorey_ facing 130

_Ladies' Delights. Photographed by Eva E. Newell_ 133

_Garden House and Long Walk in Garden of Hon. William
H. Seward, Auburn, New York_ facing 134

_Sun-dial in Garden of Hon. William H. Seward, Auburn,
New York_ 136

_Lilacs in Midsummer. In Garden of Mrs. Abraham Lansing,
Albany, New York. Photographed by Gustave
Lorey_ facing 138

_Lilacs at Craigie House, Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Home
of Longfellow. Photographed by Arthur N. Wilmarth_ 141

_Box-edged Garden at Home of Longfellow, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Photographed by Arthur N. Wilmarth_ 142

_Joepye-weed and Queen Anne's Laces. Photographed by Mary
F. C. Paschall_ 145

_Boneset. Photographed by Mary F. C. Paschall_ 146

_Magnolias in Garden of William Brown, Esq., Flatbush, Long
Island_ facing 148

_Lilacs at Hopewell_ 149

_Persian Lilacs and Peonies in Garden of Kimball Homestead,
Portsmouth, New Hampshire_ 151

_Opyn-tide, the Thought of Spring. Garden of Mrs. Abraham
Lansing, Albany, New York. Photographed by Pirie
MacDonald_ facing 154

_A Thought of Winter's Snows. Garden of Frederick J. Kingsbury,
Esq., Waterbury, Connecticut_ 157

_Larkspur and Phlox. Garden of Miss Frances Clary Morse,
Worcester, Massachusetts_ 162

_Sweet William and Foxglove_ 163

_Plume Poppy_ 164

_Meadow Rue_ 167

_Money-in-both-Pockets_ 171

_Box Walk in Garden of Frederick J. Kingsbury, Esq., Waterbury,
Connecticut_ 173

_Lunaria in Garden of Mrs. Mabel Osgood Wright, Fairfield,
Connecticut. Photographed by Mabel Osgood Wright_
facing 174

_Dahlia Walk at Ravensworth, County Fairfax, Virginia.
Home of Mrs. W. R. Fitzhugh Lee. Photographed by
Elizabeth W. Trescot_ 177

_Petunias_ 180

_Virgin's Bower, in Garden of Miss Frances Clary Morse,
Worcester, Massachusetts_ 184

_Matrimony Vine at Van Cortlandt Manor. Photographed by
J. Horace McFarland_ 186

_White Chinese Wistaria, in Garden of Mortimer Howell, Esq.,
West Hampton Beach, Long Island_ 188

_Spiraea Van Houtteii. Photographed by J. Horace McFarland_
facing 190

_Old Apple Tree at Whitehall. Home of Bishop Berkeley,
near Newport, Rhode Island_ 194

"_The valley stretching below
Is white with blossoming Apple trees,
As if touched with lightest snow._"
_Photographed by T. E. M. and G. F. White_ 197

_Old Hand-power Cider Mill. Photographed by Mary F. C.
Paschall_ 198

_Pressing out the Cider in Old Hand Mill_ 200

_Old Cider Mill with Horse Power. Photographed by T. E. M.
and G. F. White_ 203

_Straining off the Cider into Barrels_ 204

_Drying Apples. Photographed by T. E. M. and G. F. White_
facing 208

_Ancient Apple Picker, Apple Racks, Apple Parers, Apple
Butter Kettle, Apple Butter Paddle, Apple Butter Stirrer,
Apple Butter Crocks. Photographed by Mary F. C.
Paschall_ 211

_Making Apple Butter. Photographed by Mary F. C. Paschall_
facing 214

_Shakespeare Border in Garden at Hillside, Menand's, near
Albany, New York. Photographed by Gustave Lorey_ 216

_Long Border at Hillside, Menand's, near Albany, New York.
Photographed by Gustave Lorey_ facing 218

_The Beauty of Winter Lilacs. In Garden of Mrs. Abraham
Lansing, Albany, New York. Photographed by Pirie MacDonald_ 220

_Garden of Mrs. Frank Robinson, Wakefield, Rhode Island_ 222

_The Parson's Walk_ 225

_Garden of Mary Washington_ 228

_Box and Phlox. Garden of Sylvester Manor, Shelter Island,
New York_ 230

_Within the Weeping Beech. Photographed by E. C. Nichols_
facing 232

_Spring Snowflake, Garden of Miss Frances Clary Morse,
Worcester, Massachusetts. Photographed by Herschel F.
Davis_ 234

_Star of Bethlehem, in Garden of Miss Frances Clary Morse,
Worcester, Massachusetts. Photographed by Herschel F.
Davis_ 237

_"The Pearl" Achillaea_ 238

_Pyrethrum. Photographed by Mary F. C. Paschall_ 242

_Terraced Garden of the Misses Nichols, Salem, Massachusetts.
Photographed by Herschel F. Davis_ 246

_Arbor in a Salem Garden_ 250

_Scilla in Garden of Miss Frances Clary Morse, Worcester,
Massachusetts_ 254

_Sweet Alyssum Edging of White Border at Indian Hill, Newburyport,
Massachusetts_ 256

_Bachelor's Buttons in a Salem Garden. Home of Mrs. Edward
B. Peirson_ 258

_A "Sweet Garden-side" in Salem, Massachusetts, Home of
John Robinson, Esq._ facing 260

_Salpiglossis in Garden at Indian Hill, Newburyport, Massachusetts.
Photographed by Herschel F. Davis_ 261

_The Old Campanula, Garden of Miss Frances Clary Morse,
Worcester, Massachusetts_ 263

_Chinese Bellflower. Photographed by Herschel F. Davis_ 264

_Garden at Tudor Place, Georgetown, District of Columbia.
Home of Mrs. Beverly Kennon. Photographed by Elizabeth
W. Trescot_ facing 266

_Light as a Loop of Larkspur, in Garden of Judge Oliver Wendell
Holmes, Beverly, Massachusetts_ 269

_Viper's Bugloss. Photographed by Henry Troth_ 274

_The Prim Precision of Leaf and Flower of Lupine. Photographed
by Henry Troth_ 276

_The Garden's Friend. Photographed by Clifton Johnson_ 281

_Edging of Striped Lilies in a Salem Garden. Photographed by
Herschel F. Davis_ 283

_Garden Seat at Avonwood Court. Photographed by J. Horace
McFarland_ facing 286

_Terraced Garden of the Misses Nichols, Salem, Massachusetts_ 288

_"A Running Ribbon of Perfumed Snow which the Sun is
melting rapidly." At Marchant Farm, Kingston, Rhode
Island. Photographed by Sarah F. Marchant_ 292

_Fountain Garden at Sylvester Manor, Shelter Island, New
York_ facing 294

_Hawthorn Arch at Holly House, Peace Dale, Rhode Island.
Home of Rowland G. Hazard, Esq._ 298

_Thyme-covered Graves. Photographed by Mary F. C. Paschall_ 301

"_White Umbrellas of Elder_" 305

_Lower Garden at Sylvester Manor, Shelter Island, New York_
facing 308

"_Black-heart Amorous Poppies_" 310

_Valerian. Photographed by E. C. Nichols_ 314

_Old War Office in Garden at Salem, New Jersey_ 319

_Crown Imperial. Page from Gerarde's Herball_ facing 324

_The Children's Garden_ facing 330

_Foxgloves in a Narragansett Garden_ 333

_Hollyhocks in Garden of Kimball Homestead, Portsmouth, New
Hampshire_ facing 334

_Autumn View of an Old Worcester Garden_ facing 338

_Hollyhocks at Tudor Place, Georgetown, District of Columbia.
Home of Mrs. Beverly Kennon_ 339

_An Old Worcester Garden. Home of Edwin A. Fawcett, Esq._
facing 340

_Caraway_ 342

_Sun-dial of Jonathan Fairbanks, Esq., Dedham, Massachusetts_ 344

_Bronze Sun-dial on Dutch Reformed Church, West End
Avenue, New York_ 346

_Sun-dial mounted on Boulder, Swiftwater, Pennsylvania_ 347

_Buckthorn Arch in Garden of Mrs. Edward B. Peirson,
Salem, Massachusetts. Photographed by Herschel F.
Davis_ facing 348

_Sun-dial at Emery Place, Brightwood, District of Columbia.
Photographed by William Van Zandt Cox_ 349

_Sun-dial at Travellers' Rest, Virginia. Home of Mrs. Bowie
Gray. Photographed by Elizabeth W. Trescot_ 350

_Two Old Cronies; the Sun-dial and Bee skepe. Photographed
by Eva E. Newell_ 354

_Portable Sun-dial from Collection of the Author_ 356

_Sun-dial in Garden of Frederick J. Kingsbury, Esq., Waterbury,
Connecticut_ 358

_Sun-dial at Morristown, New Jersey. Designed by W. Gedney
Beatty, Esq._ 359

"_Yes, Toby, it's Three o'clock._" _Judge Daly and his Sun-dial
at Sag Harbor, Long Island. Drawn by Edward Lamson
Henry, N.A._ 361

_Face of Dial at Sag Harbor, Long Island_ 362

_Sun-dial in Garden of Grace Church Rectory, New York.
Photographed by J. W. Dow_ 364

_Fugio Bank-note_ 365

_Sun-dial at "Washington House," Little Brington, England_ 367

_Dial-face from Mount Vernon. Owned by William F. Havemeyer,
Jr._ 368

_Sun-dial from Home of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg,
Virginia. Photographed by Elizabeth W. Trescot_ 369

_Kenmore, the Home of Betty Washington Lewis, Fredericksburg,
Virginia. Photographed by Elizabeth W. Trescot_ 371

_Sun-dial in Garden of Charles T. Jenkins, Esq., Germantown,
Pennsylvania_ 373

_Sun-dial at Ophir Farm, White Plains, New York. Country-seat
of Hon. Whitelaw Reid_ 375

_Sun-dial at Hillside, Menand's, near Albany, New York_ 378

_Old Brass and Pewter Dial-faces from Collection of Author_ 379

_Beata Beatrix_ facing 380

_The Faithful Gardener_ 381

_A Garden Lyre at Waterford, Virginia_ facing 384

_A Virginia Lyre with Vines_ 386

_Old Iron Gates at Westover-on-James, Virginia. Photographed
by George S. Cook_ 388

_Ironwork in Court of Colt Mansion, Bristol, Rhode Island.
Photographed by J. W. Dow_ 390

_Sharpening the Old Dutch Scythe. Photographed by Mary
F. C. Paschall_ facing 392

_Summer-house at Ravensworth, County Fairfax, Virginia.
Home of Mrs. W. H. Fitzhugh Lee. Photographed by
Elizabeth W. Trescot_ 392

_Beehives at Waterford, Virginia. Photographed by Henry
Troth_ facing 394

_Beehives under the Trees. Photographed by Henry Troth_ 395

_Spring House at Johnson Homestead, Germantown, Pennsylvania.
Photographed by Henry Troth_ facing 396

_Dovecote at Shirley-on-James, Virginia. From_ Some Colonial
Mansions and Those who lived in Them. _Published by
Henry T. Coates & Co., Philadelphia_ 397

_The Peacock in his Pride_ 398

_The Guardian of the Garden_ 400

_Brick Terrace Wall at Van Cortlandt Manor. Photographed
by J. Horace McFarland_ facing 402

_Rail Fence Corner_ 403

_Topiary Work at Levens Hall_ 404

_Oval Pergola at Arlington, Virginia. Photographed by Elizabeth
W. Trescot_ facing 406

_French Homestead, Kingston, Rhode Island, with Old Stone
Terrace Wall. Photographed by Sarah F. Marchant_ 407

_Italian Garden at Wellesley, Massachusetts. Country-seat of
Hollis H. Hunnewell, Esq._ facing 408

_Marble Steps in Italian Garden at Wellesley, Massachusetts_ 410

_Topiary Work in California_ 412

_Serpentine Brick Wall at University of Virginia, Charlottesville,
Virginia. Photographed by Elizabeth W. Trescot_ 413

_Chestnut Path in Garden at Indian Hill, Newburyport, Massachusetts.
Photographed by Herschel F. Davis_ facing 418

_Foxgloves in Lower Garden at Indian Hill, Newburyport,
Massachusetts. Photographed by Herschel F. Davis_ 421

_Dame's Rocket. Photographed by Mary F. C. Paschall_ 424

_Snakeroot. Photographed by Mary F. C Paschall_ 426

_Title-page of Parkinson's_ Paradisi in Solis, _etc._
facing 428

_Yuccas, like White Marble against the Evergreens_ 430

_Fraxinella in Garden of Miss Frances Clary Morse, Worcester,
Massachusetts_ facing 432

_Love-in-a-Mist. Photographed by Henry Troth_ 436

_Spiderwort in an Old Worcester Garden. Photographed by
Herschel F. Davis_ facing 438

_Gardener's Garters at Van Cortlandt Manor. Photographed
by J. Horace McFarland_ 440

_Garden Walk at The Manse, Deerfield, Massachusetts. Photographed
by Clifton Johnson_ facing 442

_London Pride. Photographed by Eva E. Newell_ 445

_White Fritillaria in Garden of Miss Frances Clary Morse,
Worcester, Massachusetts_ 448

_Bouncing Bet_ 451

_Overgrown Garden at Llanerck, Pennsylvania. Photographed
by Henry Troth_ facing 454

_Fountain at Yaddo, Saratoga, New York. Country-seat of
Spencer Trask, Esq._ 455

_Avenue of White Pines at Wellesley, Massachusetts. Country-seat
of Hollis H. Hunnewell, Esq._ 456

_Violets in Silver Double Coaster_ 461

_York and Lancaster Rose at Van Cortlandt Manor. Photographed
by J. Horace McFarland_ facing 462

_Cinnamon Roses. Photographed by Mabel Osgood Wright_ 465

_Cottage Garden with Roses. Photographed by Mary F. C.
Paschall_ facing 468

_Madame Plantier Rose. Photographed by Mabel Osgood
Wright_ 474

_Sun-dial and Roses at Van Cortlandt Manor. Photographed
by J. Horace McFarland_ facing 476

Old Time Gardens