March, 1908 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



103 



number of rhododendrons, two hundred carnations, fifteen 

 hundred Dutch bulbs and numberless annuals that grow and 

 blossom in profusion. 



The vines that add softness and grace, and give the flow- 

 ing lines needed to complete the picture are jasmine, Virginia 

 creeper, grape, three varieties of clematis, wistaria, ivy, and 

 climbing roses. Many of the rose vines run over the rose 

 trellis which fences in the roof on two sides. 



But to begin at the beginning, the "Lincoln" was built and 

 Mrs. Blackwell took charge, then a few years ago she com- 

 menced to make her garden. It was not all done at once, 

 and is not yet entirely finished, for, like the garden on the 

 ground, Mrs. Blackwell enlarges her garden from time to 

 time and adds new beauties every year. There is still some 

 room for further expansion, for the garden space is a hun- 

 dred and twenty feet square. 



The roof is covered with concrete and slopes slightly from 

 the center on all sides, and the first step was to test its strength 

 by architect, building inspector, and fire marshal. After that 

 cedar boards were laid for the flower beds and lawn with a 

 little space left beneath for drainage. This was effected by 

 placing two inch pieces of wood beneath the boards at regu- 

 lar intervals, the opening at the sides being hidden by strips 

 of wood. The boards in place, the work of carrying the soil 



began. It was sifted to remove stones of any size and carried 

 to the roof in sacks holding about a hundred pounds each. 



The flower beds were made four feet wide, the soil being 

 eighteen inches deep at the back and sloping down to eight 

 inches in front, and the beds were kept from spreading out of 

 bounds by narrow boards placed on edge which box in the 

 front. The boards are painted a dull green and, being cov- 

 ered with vines and overhanging flowers, are not noticeable. 

 For the lawn, which was started with sod, the soil is three 

 inches deep, and there was not the slightest difficulty in mak- 

 ing it grow. There are a number of bay windows in the 

 building which reach to the roof, and the tops of these were 

 covered to the depth of eighteen inches or more with soil, 

 and in these beds are planted trees and large shrubs. The 

 effect of trees growing outside and beyond the rose trellis is 

 one of the remarkable features of the garden. 



All the first summer the owner of the garden worked with 

 her two gardeners and everything planted sprang into instant 

 growth. It may have been because of the looseness of the 

 soil, the quantity of sunshine or the loving care they were 

 given, but whatever the cause the result was a wilderness of 

 the most beautiful flowers and plants where formerly there 

 had been but the arid roof, unadorned and uninviting. 



Nothing has failed to grow in this garden of the sun, but 



tithe Possibilities of Garden Work on the Roof 



