AN INDIAN NOVELIST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10301, 4 November 1911, Page 4

AN INDIAN NOVELIST.

("Tho Queen.") Sir Francis Bacon, writing on the subject of a garden, observed that "it is the purest of human pleasures and the greatest refreshment to the spirits of men," and apparently in this busy twentieth century a vast number of people still agree with him, for horticulture has become the fashion, and a fashion that seems likely to stay. Frequently the scent of special flowers leads the mind to special places, and to the writer of tins article the fragrance of certain tall Japanese lilies must ever recall memories of a delectable garden in North Wales, where the presiding genius is that famous writer known to the world as Flora Annie Steel. In this progressive age the successful woman may lie mot at almost every other corner, yet perhaps some of us are still sufficiently enthusiastic to experience a little thrill of pleasing excitement when by some fortunate chance we aro welcomed by one of the elect in the privacy of her own home. However, as it is generally supposed to be the unexpected that happens, it was perhaps only natural that during a couple of hours spent at Talgarth Hall one should have been thinking of this particular writer not so much as the author of " On the Face of the Waters, or "A Prince of Dreamers," but as one of the most successful and interesting gardeners that ever planned a garden. When Mr and Mrs Steel some eleven years ago decided to settle in Merionethshire, they certainly selected ono of the boanty spots of Cambria, for their home, Talgarth Hall, not far from tho little village of Pennal, commands a glorious view of mountains, goldentinted marsh land, and a Rmiring valley watered by that river beloved of sportsmen, tho 'salmon-haunted Dove-y. The houHe itself, warmly draped in Virginia creeper, is a typical old Welsh mansion, yet an indescribable something about the cosy square hall whispers softly of tho far-away East before the visitor is shown into the pleasant, rcetful drawing-room, where tho famous Flora Annie Steel is wont to receive her guest,?. " Mrs Steel always dresses in brown, and hor drawing-room is brown also," I once heard somoono say, but on seeing the apartment in question it would seem that only the unobservant could thus sum up its general line, for surely the room was simply lined with many gently blended autumn tints. My hostess, a noted advocate of the simple style in feminine- attire, was, it is true, robed in brown, and one could hardly fail to observe how well that colour became hor charming animated face and picturesque white hair. Alert and briffht-cyed, Mrs Steel, notwithstanding the vast stores of knowledge 'which all her writing reveals, certainly does not suggest the sedentary student, but rather tho active and intensely nature-loving type of woman who delights in outdoor life: and, seeing her thus at Talgarth, all preconceived pictures of the authoress aro apt to vanish from the mind, and, albeit the presence of a master-spirit is strongly realised, Mrs Steel tho enthusiastic horticulturist comes quietly to the fore. On taking a survey of the fcoft sward surrounding the house it was evident that no hard and fast rules confined the garden within vails and hedges, for it was simply everywhere. Indeed, on this particular afternoon it seemed to have extended into the autumn-tinted drawing-room also, for a rose-coloured salvia backedM>y a great cross of magnolia peeped in at tho window, whilst the whole room had been invaded by a dainty pink and white army composed of the blossoms of the Anemone japonica. But Mrs Steel, declaring that her floral decorations were not as good as usual, suggested that' hor lilies should bo inspected instead, and decidedly those wonderful groups of Lilium macranthum, which, ainkh*: a tangle of roso bushes, appeared to have sprung like the daisies from the lawn itself, were a sight to gladden nicVtal eyes, for daringly they towered high abovo the head of Mrs Steel, ns though they would fain have thrown a share of their sweot perfume to the surrounding mountain heights. Passing along a hillside absolutely covered with loaf and blossom, r.iy hostess led the way to what she said was her favourite portion of the garden. Here again the Japanese anemones held paramount sway, for largo beds 12 feet ill diameter Averc given up to these evidently beloved plants, their pink and white petals forming huge drifts gently stirring in the breeze. Here in all. directions wero flowering creepers and rose arches, whilst beneath the shade of the large centre pergola stood tho littlo sepulchre of a cherished canine friend. He was a dachshund and a highly educated dog indeed, for ifc would seem that when ho died at tho age of eighteen years he clearly understood a vocabulary of over a lamdred words.

" I call this the Garden of Fidelity, after tho ' Bagh-i-fidaynt' of the Emperor Babar, an Indian hero of the sixteenth century, for something very faithful is buried here," Mrs Steel explained simply as we sat resting for a moment on a garden bench close by. Truly the " Ba £ h-i-fidayat " of Talgarth was a delightful spot, where one might easily have idled away a whole afternoon; but there were other tempting paths leading up and down tho hillside, and Mrs Steel led me on oncemore to marvel at tho generously fijled beds, tho beauty of tho Snow Quean lupins, the sweetness of the mignonette, and tho gorgeous colouring of the begonias. The last seemed to like Merionethshire soil, and, whilo admitting that sh© was mere partial to some other flowers, Mrs Steel 'gave them a meed of praise also, remarking, "I must say my respect goes to begonias. They are so calm. They blossom in shade or shine, in rain or drought. They do their duty undisturbed. Wc next visited a pleasant walled garden, with charming old russet-tim-bered doors, a haunt of bees and peacock butterflies, for it was aglow with sunshine and the Bplendid colour of perennial sunflowers. "I love a gay garden," said my hostess, and, glancing round at the great v/iao borders whoro so much round space to thrive, one realised that the fanions Flora Annio Steel, like tho Elizabethan philosopher, also loves tho " musk rose, sweetbriar, lavender in flower, sweot marjoram, red roses, honeysuckles and all sweet herbs."