WhenbreakfastwasovertheDoctortookmeouttoshowmethegarden. Well,ifthehousehadbeeninteresting,thegardenwasahundredtimesmoreso. OfallthegardensIhaveeverseenthatwasthemostdelightful,themostfascinating. Atfirstyoudidnotrealizehowbigitwas. Youneverseemedtocometotheendofit. Whenatlastyouwerequitesurethatyouhadseenitall,youwouldpeeroverahedge,orturnacorner,orlookupsomesteps,andtherewasawholenewpartyouneverexpectedtofind. Ithadeverything—everythingagardencanhave,oreverhashad. Therewerewide,widelawnswithcarvedstoneseats,greenwithmoss. Overthelawnshungweeping-willows,andtheirfeatherybough-tipsbrushedthevelvetgrasswhentheyswungwiththewind. Theoldflaggedpathshadhigh,clipped,yewhedgeseithersideofthem,sothattheylookedlikethenarrowstreetsofsomeoldtown;andthroughthehedges,doorwayshadbeenmade;andoverthedoorwayswereshapeslikevasesandpeacocksandhalf-moonsalltrimmedoutofthelivingtrees. Therewasalovelymarblefish-pondwithgoldencarpandbluewater-liliesinitandbiggreenfrogs. Ahighbrickwallalongsidethekitchengardenwasallcoveredwithpinkandyellowpeachesripeninginthesun. Therewasawonderfulgreatoak,hollowinthetrunk,bigenoughforfourmentohideinside. Manysummer-housestherewere,too—someofwoodandsomeofstone;andoneofthemwasfullofbookstoread. Inacorner,amongsomerocksandferns,wasanoutdoorfire-place,wheretheDoctorusedtofryliverandbaconwhenhehadanotiontotakehismealsintheopenair. Therewasacouchaswellonwhichheusedtosleep,itseems,onwarmsummernightswhenthenightingalesweresingingattheirbest;ithadwheelsonitsoitcouldbemovedaboutunderanytreetheysangin. Butthethingthatfascinatedmemostofallwasatinylittletree-house,highupinthetopbranchesofagreatelm,withalongropeladderleadingtoit. TheDoctortoldmeheuseditforlookingatthemoonandthestarsthroughatelescope. Itwasthekindofagardenwhereyoucouldwanderandexplorefordaysanddays—alwayscominguponsomethingnew,alwaysgladtofindtheoldspotsoveragain. ThatfirsttimethatIsawtheDoctor'sgardenIwassocharmedbyitthatIfeltIwouldliketoliveinit—alwaysandalways—andnevergooutsideofitagain. Forithadeverythingwithinitswallstogivehappiness,tomakelivingpleasant—tokeeptheheartatpeace.ItwastheGardenofDreams. OnepeculiarthingInoticedimmediatelyIcameintoit;andthatwaswhatalotofbirdstherewereabout. Everytreeseemedtohavetwoorthreenestsinit. Andheapsofotherwildcreaturesappearedtobemakingthemselvesathomethere,too. Stoatsandtortoisesanddormiceseemedtobequitecommon,andnotintheleastshy. Toadsofdifferentcolorsandsizeshoppedaboutthelawnasthoughitbelongedtothem. Greenlizards(whichwereveryrareinPuddleby)satuponthestonesinthesunlightandblinkedatus.Evensnakesweretobeseen. "Youneednotbeafraidofthem,"saidtheDoctor,noticingthatIstartedsomewhatwhenalargeblacksnakewiggledacrossthepathrightinfrontofus."Thesefellowsarenotpoisonous. Theydoagreatdealofgoodinkeepingdownmanykindsofgarden-pests. Iplaytheflutetothemsometimesintheevening.Theyloveit. Standrightupontheirtailsandcarryonnoend.Funnything,theirtasteformusic." "Whydoalltheseanimalscomeandlivehere?"Iasked."Ineversawagardenwithsomanycreaturesinit." "Well,Isupposeit'sbecausetheygetthekindoffoodtheylike;andnobodyworriesordisturbsthem.Andthen,ofcourse,theyknowme. AndiftheyortheirchildrengetsickIpresumetheyfindithandytobelivinginadoctor'sgarden—Look! Youseethatsparrowonthesundial,swearingattheblackbirddownbelow? Well,hehasbeencominghereeverysummerforyears.HecomesfromLondon. Thecountrysparrowsroundaboutherearealwayslaughingathim. TheysayhechirpswithsuchaCockneyaccent. Heisamostamusingbird—verybravebutverycheeky. Helovesnothingbetterthananargument,buthealwaysendsitbygettingrude.Heisarealcitybird. InLondonhelivesaroundSt.Paul'sCathedral.'Cheapside,'wecallhim." "Areallthesebirdsfromthecountryroundhere?"Iasked. "Mostofthem,"saidtheDoctor."ButafewrareonesvisitmeeveryyearwhoordinarilynevercomenearEnglandatall. Forinstance,thathandsomelittlefellowhoveringoverthesnapdragonthere,he'saRuby-throatedHumming-bird.ComesfromAmerica. Strictlyspeaking,hehasnobusinessinthisclimateatall.Itistoocool. Imakehimsleepinthekitchenatnight. TheneveryAugust,aboutthelastweekofthemonth,IhaveaPurpleBird-of-ParadisecomeallthewayfromBraziltoseeme.Sheisaverygreatswell.Hasn'tarrivedyetofcourse. Andthereareafewothers,foreignbirdsfromthetropicsmostly,whodropinonmeinthecourseofthesummermonths.Butcome,Imustshowyouthezoo." 
