

The bacKyard in the beginning was of the average type— given up to posts and cans. A few vines and flowers soon redeemed it 



An Outdoor Living Room for $50— By William Macomber, 



HOW A PATENT ATTORNEY UTILIZED HIS INVENTIVE ABILITY IN TRANSFORMING A 35 X 75 FT. 

 PATCH OF CLAY INTO LAWN AND FLOWERS, AND BUILT A REALLY PRACTICAL SUMMER HOUSE 



Buffalo, 

 New York 



GIVEN a yard 35 x 75 ft., clay that would 

 make a poor quality of brick, a back- 

 ground of fences in three stages of dilapida- 

 tion. The problem: Make this plot both 

 beautiful and useful. 



Soil had to be made. This was purely a 

 question of coal-ashes, manure and labor, 

 and plenty of all three. A background for 

 the color effect was necessary. Various 

 plans were discussed and abandoned; the 

 ■one selected was a seven-foot wire mesh 

 fence covered with perennial vines, and 

 Toses. Small effort persuaded the owners 

 of adjoining property to pay half the cost 

 ■of the fence. We put it up — n-foot cedar 

 posts taper-sawed, 3 feet in the ground, about 

 £ feet apart, 6-inch base boards to keep out 

 weeds, and green paint. Cost, our share, 

 .about $20. The yard being a rectangle, to 

 employ straight lines would only accentuate 

 its harshness, gracefully curved lines ex- 

 clusively gave rest and repose, and the mass- 

 ing of plants added to this effect. . 



All borders were edged with sweet alyssum 

 (Carpet of Snow), the most satisfactory edg- 

 ing, because it serves the double purpose of 

 marking the border and a foil for all colors. 



The fences were covered by three excellent 



temporary climbers: wild cucumber (Echino- 

 cystis lobata), the fastest grower and least 

 desirable ; Cobcea scandens, slowest grower and 

 most desirable; Japanese hop, the most 

 satisfactory of all. For this climate (Buffalo) 

 there is but one permanent vine for a back- 

 ground — Japanese clematis {Clematis pani- 

 culata). Our original scheme called for 

 rambler roses alternating with clematis; but 

 it was a failure; rambler roses are not dense 

 enough for that purpose. 



Of course there are many little things not 

 mentioned — annuals that "tuck in" any- 

 where — which are absolutely necessary to 

 keep the color effect continuous. We cannot 

 recommend too strongly solid beds of China 

 asters in selected colors. We separate the 



purples and blues from the pinks and reds. 

 Beware of massing conflicting colors. 



There was a wealth of bloom all through 



The summer house proved an attraction for our 

 neighbors. Tea was served on the lawn and we 

 practically lived outdoors 



The home-made horse-shoe-shaped summer house 

 10 x 16 feet is built of cedar posts and hemlocK 

 points. It cost $22.00 



346 



No straight lines or sharp angles were permitted 

 in the garden, because all around was angular. For 

 references see text on the next pag ! 



