THE TERRACED WALK WITH HERBACEOUS BORDER 



A BOUT twelve to fourteen acres in extent, 

 *» the only level ground being a strip at the 

 base of the hill slightly more than an acre in 

 area and perhaps fifty feet wide extending the 

 full length of the property. The ground then 

 rises steeply to an elevation of about six hun- 

 dred feet. 



The house (designed by Janssen & Abbott of 

 Pittsburgh) is situated in the middle of the prop- 

 erty and approximately two-thirds of the way 

 up the hill, a cut having been made in the side 

 of the hill to accommodate it. Behind is a high, 

 heavy retaining wall; and in front are two ter- 

 races held in place by masonry. A winding road 

 which crosses the property three times and has 

 a maximum grade of ten per cent, leads to it. 



A very considerable amount of the original 

 forest timber is still standing; in front of and 

 under it Rhododendron maximum has been 

 abundantly planted. One boundary is open for 

 half its length and is planted with the conven- 

 tional, mixed, deciduous, massed border. Hem 

 lock has been much used, particularly on the east 

 boundary and in one of the two ravines which 

 cuts the property. Through the other runs a 

 stepping stone walk; along the sides of this 

 ravine English Rhododendron has been thickly 

 grouped, and at the upper end Hemlock is estab- 

 lished, monotony being avoided by the use of a 

 few Spruces and Junipers. 



The twenty-foot wide, level, grass terrace 

 in front of the house is flanked by a herbaceous 

 border about six feet broad and perfectly 

 straight. This is held in place by a wall, at 

 the bottom of which is a grass strip, a walk, and 

 a second herbaceous border similar to the first 

 and also held in place by a retaining wall. These 

 walls are perhaps eight feet high; the retaining 

 wall at the rear being about twenty; all are cov- 

 ered with Evonymus radicans vegetus. 



To the southwest of the dwelling there is a 

 comparatively level stretch, an acre in extent, 

 where an informal or English garden has been 

 introduced, simple in treatment and planting, 

 principally for the reason that — being entirely 

 surrounded by large Oaks — only limited areas of 

 open ground were available. 



SWEEP OF LAWN WELL FRINGED WITH ORIGINAL FOREST TIMBER 



86 



