I've always admired gardens. My father was a great nature lover and would always take me for walks. We lived not too far away from huge rhododendron estates and azalea estates, and when they're in bloom in England, they're just riotous.

More than anything, the arts are the best teaching tool.

On the whole, I think women wear too much and are to fussy. You can't see the person for all the clutter.

I am very proud to be British. I'm very conscious of carrying my country with me wherever I go. I feel I need to represent it well.

I thought it was all a flash in the pan. It wasn't until Broadway came along that I felt I had really made it.

I play with my grandchildren. I tend to my garden, which I love. Of course, I love to read, and family is really what it's all about.

I had toured around England endlessly throughout my teens, but when I came to the U.S. to perform on Broadway, that was a huge step.

I do wish somewhere there was a film of our stage production of 'My Fair Lady.'

I am an optimistic lady.

I don't want to be thought of as wholesome.

I think birth and motherhood are not things that you're trained to do. You might have a good example in your own mum, but nobody teaches you how to be a really great mum.

I am told that the first comprehensible word I uttered as a child was 'home.'

I'm never sure one is exactly ready. You jump in, with both feet, into a very big fish pond.

Did you ever notice the color of Mary Poppins' petticoats? They were kind of orange and apricot and red. I think she had a secret life going on there.

I love that President and Mrs. Obama are embracing the arts. I am so delighted.

I hate the word wholesome.

I had a teacher who stressed for me the importance of diction in terms of... I want to be very careful about how I say this... in terms of supporting one's voice when one is singing. In other words, if you hold on to your words, your voice will pull through for you when you're singing. So be true to your vowels.

You just don't know in life. Life knocks you about and pushes you over boundaries. But be ready. Do your homework; that's all I can say.

I think every young girl at some point in her early life wonders what it's like to be a princess. They like the idea of dressing up and the fun of it.

I love my garden. I love my privacy. I'm very fierce about it. I try not to let too many people into my home. That's my private place.

Like most girls, I fantasized about being some sort of a princess.

Whenever I think of my birthplace, Walton-on-Thames, my reference first and foremost is the river. I love the smell of the river; love its history, its gentleness. I was aware of its presence from my earliest years. Its majesty centered me, calmed me, was a solace to a certain extent.

The arts bridge cultures; they're good for the economy, and they're good for fostering empathy and decency.

Sometimes I'm so sweet even I can't stand it.