2Q4 



The Country House 



Fountain in garden at " Ftlracres," Jenkintown, P. Wilson Eyre, architect 



a lower level than the house, but in itself it was of flat contour. The enclosing 

 wall was replaced by the hedge, and it is evident that clipping, except in the case 

 of box hedges, was not carried to excess as in England. The "box" hedge formed 



an important feature as an 

 enclosing border for the 

 various plots and as out- 

 lines to the often intricate 

 patterns of the flower gar- 

 den. In fact the Colonial 

 garden w r as a flower garden, 

 and in this lies its greatest 

 charm. The whole scale 

 was one that seemed to fit 

 the individual and give it 

 the feeling of home. Its 

 broadest paths were never 

 wide, and its narrow ones 

 allowed only width enough 

 for one person. Ordinarily 

 the paths were flanked with 

 box or flower beds, or both. 

 The garden accessories were few and simple, consisting of gates, arbours, 

 summer houses, tool houses, sun dials and frequent trellises. Although fonral in 

 character it was not necessarily regular, yet regularity was the rule rather than 

 the exception, and the balance in the question of detailed motives was generally 

 preserved. 



It is perhaps the Colonial garden that appeals more strongly to the average 

 American than any of the more elaborate foreign examples, and as a formal 

 garden it is evidently nearer within the reach of the purse of the average garden 

 lover. Owing to its small scale it can be reduced to a small size with considerable 

 effect, but it should never be used with any but a Colonial house, and the archi- 

 tects tell us that the Colonial architecture is out of style again. We do not believe 

 that is entirely true, in spite of the fact that the wholesale reproduction of this type 

 has fallen off within a few years, to the preference of English designs. There 

 13 too much that is distinctly American in the Colonial, both in the comfort of 

 its plan and its wholesome appearance, for it to become extinct. If ever we 

 evolve a distinctly American style, it will be found to contain more of the 

 Colonial blood than any other. 



As the Spanish garden is well adapted to our Southern climate, am' .nore 

 particularly to the old Southwest territory once owned by Spain, it is important 

 that it should receive some consideration. In this it is perhaps well to consider it 

 from the standpoint of what has been done by the Spaniards themselves in southern 

 California. 



The best and only example in any sort of state of preservation is the 

 famous Mission of Santa Barbara. This interesting old structure w r as begun in 

 1786 and completed as it now stands in 1822. Like many of the similar Spanish 



