72 AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
The crow’s nest in the trees 
one may rest among the tree tops, secured from harm by the 
high, firm railing, which also serves as a decorative feature. 
Probably the most attractive characteristic of all this 
woodland garden, or ‘“‘garden of surprises,” is the “Swiss 
Cottage” nestled in an open space in the heart of the woods. 
One can well imagine that he has stumbled upon some hunts- 
man’s lodge in a secluded mountain fastness when the quaint 
and picturesque log structure is discovered—possessing the 
ornamental features which distinguish the Swiss cottages, 
combined with the substantial log construction of the moun- 
tain woodlands. The conception is still further 
emphasized by the rugged grouping of rocks and 
boulders about the “‘cottage’’; and only the hardy 
ferns and natural wild flowers are grown in the 
rock crevices. 
There has not been the slightest attempt 
toward mere display throughout the entire extent 
of the woodland; neither has its beauty been left 
to haphazard, but is the result of intelligent study 
by experts. Each distinct view, each charming 
study is in itself complete; and so perfectly does 
each bit of decoration fit in and blend with its 
surroundings that it appears to have grown there 
naturally, an indispensable part of the whole. 
The plans of this extensive estate, lying off from 
the West Chester pike, may be studied to good 
advantage in the decorating of other suburban 
woodlands, and many country estates where here- 
tofore little thought has been given to this method 
of home beautifying may have their decorative 
value doubled by a little intelligent study and 
slight expense in the development of the garden 
grove or an adjoining woodland. 
The country home, in fact, that possesses a 
garden grove, or one adjoining a suburban wood- 
land, has within its reach fascinating possibilities 
in rural decoration, when properly developed. 
This woodland decoration has recently become 
a charming fad in many localities. Not only 
are all the old forest patriarchs carefully pre- 
February, 1909 
served, fresh growths nurtured, 
with the unsightly underbrush 
cleared away and the woods made 
habitable, but a step farther has 
been taken in introducing decided 
novelties in the form of woods 
decoration. A drive through such 
suburban districts will frequently 
tempt one to leave the public road- 
way to explore fascinating wood- 
land roads, where the finest of the 
old trees have rustic stairways lead- 
ing up to secluded tearooms, built 
in their wide-spreading branches; 
where bits of Florentine pottery 
and roomy marble garden seats, 
imported from sunny Italy, call to 
mind the garden magic of the villa- 
clad hills and woodlands of ancient 
Florence; where walks cut through 
stately avenues of trees remind one 
of the famous cypress alley of the 
‘Boboli garden, and_ intertwined 
branches of trees, forming arch- 
ways over secluded walks, vie in 
beauty with the ilex-walk of the 
same celebrated Italian garden; 
where tall Japanese lanterns of 
stone are set, seemingly to light up 
dark places in the turns of the wind- 
ing roadways, and to guard alluring bits of Japanese land- 
scape gardening. In fact these woodland gardens may well be 
called “‘surprise gardens,” so varied are the quaint types of 
old world attractions introduced, and so frequently does one 
come upon some new and delightful surprise at the curves in 
the drives and walks of the home woodland. 
In various localities this feature of country seat decoration 
has been quite pronounced during the past few years, espe- 
cially in the development of natural features and the orna- 
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~menting of woodland pools and streams with rustic bridges. 
Rustic bridge over the woodland stream 
