By this time the little girls were driving past the "Green." Every town and village in England has an open grass plot which is either called the "Green" or the "Common," which means that it is common property, and it is here that the young people play games.
"There is all that is left of Richmond Palace," said Miss Green, pointing to an ancient gateway with a part of a dwelling attached. "Once it was a favourite residence of the great Queen Elizabeth.
"Many great men lived during the reign of 'Good Queen Bess,' as she was called, but you must not forget the greatest of them all—Shakespeare."
"Oh, yes," said Edith, "papa and mamma are going this summer to visit the village where he lived, and they have promised to take me. What is the name of the place, Miss Green? I have forgotten it."
"Stratford-on-Avon, and you must never forget the name of the town where lived the greatest English poet, my dear," replied Miss Green.
"Did not a great many kings and queens live in Richmond, besides Queen Elizabeth?" asked Adelaide.
"Yes, it was a favourite home of royalty, and that is why it was called 'Royal Richmond,' and the town has always been proud of the numbers of great people who have lived here, poets and writers and painters as well as kings and queens.
"I will have the cart put up at one of the little inns near the big gates," said Miss Green, as they drove up to the entrance to Kew Gardens.
Soon our party were strolling over the soft grass and among the lovely flower-beds, for here people can walk and play over the grass as they like, for there are no horrid "Keep off the Grass" signs.