LITTLE GARDENS 



ration in the house that overlooks them. A house 

 like that of the New York Yacht Club, for ex- 

 ample, which is a fairly successful, and certainly- 

 Interesting attem.pt to continue on land a sugges- 

 tion of the architecture of the sea, would be en- 

 titled to a summer-house In the form of an after- 

 cabin in its yard, if it had a yard; but can any- 

 thing be more out of place than a boat, serving 

 as jardiniere or flower-bed. In a yard five miles 

 from water? So, if we must have constructions 

 and other matters In our ground that are but re- 

 motely germane to its normal uses, let us have a 

 thought for their fitness. One of the new-rich 

 families in New York has, in the middle of the 

 drawing-room, a Russian sleigh, highly orna- 

 mented with panel paintings, and a palm stands 

 on its seat. Palms are so usual to Russia; and 

 especially In sleighs! Well, of all the — how- 

 ever. It is no worse than putting an old carriage 

 body or boat or packing-box into the garden and 

 filling It with flowers; hardly so bad. In fact, be- 

 cause hardly so obstructive, as putting two sum- 

 mer-houses on a strip fifty feet long. 



Assuming that we are bound by the usual 

 conditions as to space and flagging, and have to 



56 



