BEAUTIFUL GARDENS IN AMERICA 
the Manor House, giving continuous color all summer to 
this charming place. The view of Mr. Steele’s garden at 
Westbury is a fine example of an ideal hillside planting 
leading to the flower-beds on a lower level. 
Probably the oldest garden in New York State is the 
one at Sylvester Manor, on Shelter Island, between the 
shores of Long Island and Connecticut. This charming 
little flower-plot is reached by a short flight of descending 
steps. Some of its old Boxwood appears in the illustra- 
tion of the pool which is a part of the garden scheme. The 
original owners of Shelter Island were the Manhasset In- 
dians. “In 1651 Nathaniel Sylvester came from England 
with his young bride, and here they planted the Box, still 
one of the wonders of the place, and erected the first manor- 
house with its oak doors and panels and mantels fitted in 
England, and brick tiles brought from Holland. The pres- 
ent house was built in 1737 with enough of the woodwork 
of the old house to maintain symmetry in traditions, and 
stands to-day as it has stood the better part of two cen- 
turies, filled with its old furniture, paintings, and curios. 
Here is kept the cloth of gold left by Captain Kidd and 
many other things that time and space forbid mentioning.” 
The old homestead has always remained in the family in 
direct descent. 
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