An English Garden by the Book
Elsie Freeman started dreaming of the garden she would one day grow while she was still an undergraduate at Smith College. Not just any garden, mind you, but specifically an English-style garden inspired by the writings of Gertrude Jekyll, the patron saint of the modern cottage garden. She buried herself in the works by the famous British 19th century gardener instead of digging in the dirt (“I grew up in Brooklyn,” she says, “and we didn’t even have the proverbial tree!”) Enchanted by the old-fashioned borders and generous plantings she read about, she knew one day she wanted just such a garden. (For a list of a few of her favorite classic books, see page 31.)
She found a
