June, 1 9 10 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



American Homes and Gardens 

 Garden Competition 



239 



The gateway at "Rachelwood," Laurel Hill 



[NE of the most interesting gardens of those 

 that received honorable mention in the re- 

 cent Garden Competition of American 

 Homes and Gardens, is the one belong- 

 ing to Mrs. James R. Mellon, at New- 

 Florence, Pa., and when it is known that 

 it was built on a plateau in the Allegheny 

 Mountains, at an elevation of 2,200 feet above the sea 

 level, the fact of this altitude will give an element of variety 

 that adds scope to the character of the contributions receiv- 

 ing recognition by the judges. 



This garden is situated seven miles from New Florence 

 station, in the historical Ligonier Valley, and is laid out 

 in geometrical form and on an axis with the garden front 

 of the main house. It is 106 feet in width and 144 feet 

 in depth, and is enclosed on three sides by stone columns to 

 the height of six feet, at which point a pergola effect is ob- 



tained by the beams and cross bars which rest upon the 

 columns. The planting of the enclosure took place about 

 the loth of May of 1909, and was just four months old 

 at the time the photographs were taken of it. The original 

 grounds adjoin the residence in the forest. In order to 

 make the place available for a garden, it was found neces- 

 sary to cut down and clear away many of the trees which 

 stood upon the site, and build a stone wall three feet in 

 height as a retaining wall for the garden, which was ex- 

 cavated to the depth of ten feet and refilled with wild soil 

 from the fields. The peristyle, which was built at the 

 east end of the garden, is covered alternately with Cle- 

 matis paniculata, Lonicera halleana, Bignonia Madam 

 Galen, Vitis odorata, while the one facing the residence is 

 covered with Clematis paniculata, with Dorothy Perkins and 

 Lady Gay roses alternating. The various beds are planted 

 with Phlox, alternating with red and pink Geraniums, and 



The formal garden 



