English Country Garden was on a much-loved EP the family owned in my childhood. The tune was by Australian Percy Granger, and the words are credited to Jimmie Rodgers himself: a native of Washington State, USA.
These lyrics start well enough with the flowers, begin to lose touch with reality when fireflies are introduced among the insects; and spin-off into transatlantic parochial fantasy with the birds.
In the spirit of Rodgers version of Englishness, I suggest the following additional verse:
How many animals wander to and fro
In an English Country Garden?
I'll tell you now of some that I know
And those I miss you'll surely pardon:
Bobcats, Lynx and Mountain Lions
Grizzly Bears and Wolver-ines
Chipmunks, Racoons and Porcupines
There is joy every day
When the Skunks begin to spray
In an English Country Garden.
Note: Jimmie R tells us "Don't forget The Robin" - I, of course, agree; but what he means by 'robin' is not what we English mean by our favourite national bird: the Ruddock or Redbreast (to use its older names) is a different species altogether...
