It was almost as good as a bit of woods -- and Jims loved the woods , though he scarcely ever saw them . Then , past the pines , were roses just breaking into June bloom -- roses in such profusion as Jims had n't known existed , with dear little paths twisting about among the bushes . It seemed to be a garden where no frost could blight or rough wind blow . When rain fell it must fall very gently . Past the roses one saw a green lawn , sprinkled over now with the white ghosts of dandelions , and dotted with ornamental trees . The trees grew so thickly that they almost hid the house to which the garden pertained . It was a large one of grey-black stone , with stacks of huge chimneys . Jims had no idea who lived there . He had asked Aunt Augusta and Aunt Augusta had frowned and told him it did not matter who lived there and that he must never , on any account , mention the next house or its occupant to Uncle Walter . Jims would never have thought of mentioning them to Uncle Walter . But the prohibition filled him with an unholy and unsubduable curiosity . He was devoured by the desire to find out who the folks in that tabooed house were . And he longed to have the freedom of that garden . Jims loved gardens . There had been a garden at the little house but there was none here -- nothing but an old lawn that had been fine once but was now badly run to seed . Jims had heard Uncle Walter say that he was going to have it attended to but nothing had been done yet . And meanwhile here was a beautiful garden over the wall which looked as if it should be full of children . But no children were ever in it -- or anybody else apparently . And so , in spite of its beauty , it had a lonely look that hurt Jims . He wanted his Garden of Spices to be full of laughter .
He pictured himself running in it XXXXX imaginary playmates -- and there was a mother in it -- or a big sister -- or , at the least , a whole aunt who would let you hug her and would never dream of shutting you up in chilly , shadowy , horrible blue rooms .
at by into of on over past that though with