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DESIGN FOR A BEAUTIFUL VILLA. 
BY HENRY LAMB, ARCHITECT, NO. 788 BROAD STREET, 
NEWARK, N. J. 
The design illustrated on pages 113 and 117 of this 
number is one of unusual elegance and beauty. It is 
a combination of the Italian and the Swiss styles, giv¬ 
ing the convenience of the former with the decorations 
of the latter. By reference to the plans on this page, 
the reader will see the rooms are of good size, and 
open easily to each other, or into the 
centre hall. The kitchen has its nu¬ 
merous closets, pantry, and store-room, 
with separate stairs, out-door entrance, 
and passage to the dining-room; the 
second floor is divided very economi¬ 
cally into five excellent bedrooms, all of 
good size, well lighted, and fair closet 
room. In the third story there are 
three large rooms, with sides four feet in 
height, and closet room on each side. 
Tire height of first story is ten feet ; 
second, eight and a half. The roof of 
both house, L, and piazza is covered 
with slate of various colors, and the 
front part is decorated with gilded rail¬ 
ing. Over the edge of the roof is erected 
a ventilator, which is not only a con¬ 
venience to rooms beneath, but also is 
quite an architectural ornament. The 
grounds around the house are to be laid 
out in lawn, flower beds, ornamental 
trees, shrubs, fountain, &c. This design was made 
specially for the residence of the editor of the Floral 
Cabinet, and is to be erected in New Jersey, in the 
vicinity of Orange and Montclair. Other designs from 
excavation made in the grass, just far enough from 
the house to pass behind. This was filled with sand, 
bringing it to a level with the frame. Into this I sink 
my pots, putting underneath a piece of brick to keep 
the worms out. For the back row the tall growing 
Fuchsias, such as the Giant, Mad. Cornelisen, &e. 
Before sinking I put them in very large pots, for they 
must have abundance of room, the richest of earth, 
and, while blooming, plenty of' water — not only at its 
roots, but shower its leaves, for I am sure it is as re- 
fat 
BIB 
Kitchen 
ihxih 
Parlor 
18 X 19 
Dining Room 
15X18 
Veranda 
L, J Sitting Room 
[estibplJ w * 15 
Porch;! Veranda 
plan of first FLOOR. 
the same architect, of equal elegance, will be given in 
these pages in due time. 
A PRETTY FLOWER BED. 
I have enjoyed my shady bed so well this summer 
that I wish every one loving such varieties of flowers 
had one looking as handsome as mine. I will tell 
you in what manner it is constructed. The carpen¬ 
ter made me a box-frame of hoards, 15 feet long by 
3 in width. On'the north side of the house I had an 
Side Elevation of Villa. 
freshing to them as cool water to us wlften warm and 
dusty. In the second row I have large Double 
Geraniums and tall Calceolarias; the next is rather a 
medley—Double Pink Geraniums, different shades of 
Heliotrope, the low-growing Fuchsias, Mrs. Pollock 
Geranium, varieties of Dracenas and Coleus. The 
colors are prettily blended—sufficient green to make 
perfect harmony. A five-fingered Ivy climbing on 
the house makes a rich hack-ground. I know most 
persons think Geraniums and Heliotrope do best fully 
exposed to the sun, hut I find mine have done best in 
the shady bed. Then, in the fall, it is so easy to lift 
—no disturbing the roots to interfere with growth or 
bloom. I am so unfortunate as to have a very sunny 
garden, part shade is so much to he preferred. In 
order to obviate the baking of the earth about the 
roots, I plant in masses, and have succeeded well; 
around tall growing Geraniums I have planted 
Centaurea Gymnocarpa, Feverfew, or thick hunches of 
Sweet Alyssum; Ahronia Umbellata does well for that 
purpose, its delicate beauty and fragrance should give 
it a place in every garden; it is best to let it self-sow. 
The Plumbago is a beautiful blooming plant—a lovely 
shade of lavender, as delicate as the new indescribable 
tints of silk; a constant bloomer, of shrubby nature, 
thriving best in partial shade. I have been trying my 
skill in ornamental grouping, using Kicinus, Japanese 
Corn, Gladiolus, Tritoma, and Caladium Esculentum, 
finishing off with an edge of Artemisia Stellaris; it is 
very showy, and has attracted much attention. 
I am watching with great interest my Amaranthus 
Salicifolius. Last year I grew it in a pot; before at¬ 
taining half its height, it seeded and dried up. Too late 
I found my mistake—its roots were too confined. I 
have been trying a new plan with my Callas, quite 
the reverse of the old established rule. I planted them 
in the ground where the sun touched all day; I must 
confess at being alarmed as one by one the leaves 
grew yellow and fell to the ground; hut new ones 
soon took their place, and I am sure when I gather 
them in I will find fine healthy bulbs to give me a 
wealth of blossoms when all without is stern and bare. 
Let me tell you of a remarkable freak one of my 
Callas took upon itself. Early this summer it bore a 
double blossom—one inside of the other—two distinct 
calyx and one stamen. I advised my friends, and it 
was visited by a great number, who considered it a 
great curiosity. I have given much attention to my 
Rose bed this season; planted them in a partially 
shaded situation, well mulched with spent hops, and 
have given a good supply of dish and wash water, on 
which they have thrived amazingly, 
fully repaying me for all care with their 
lovely buds and flowers. I have La 
Marque, Chromatella, Isabella Sprunt, 
BonSilene, Safrano, Pactole, Agrippina 
and Hermosa. Many besides myself 
have enjoyed them; sick friends have 
been cheered by them. They have 
set like a pearl in the hair of the bride, 
and helped to make less terrible the last 
sleep—death. 
Those who are fond of vines should 
have the wild Cucumber; for rapid 
growth, thickness of shade, and delight¬ 
ful perfume it is unequalled. It is best 
to sow the seed in the fall. My summer 
kitchen needed paint badly, so I planted 
this vine by it, and I am sure no 
painter’s brush could have produced so 
picturesque a picture as it now presents, 
arching the doorway and mounting the 
roof. There are many other vines 
which should he in every garden. Potato Clematis is 
very beautiful, also Celastrus Scandens, or Bitter 
Sweet, which is fairly dazzling with its orange and 
scarlet berries when the frost has spread Iris icy fingers 
on all else. How could we do without these lovely 
flowers ? The homeliest spot can he transformed into 
PLAN OF SECOND FLOOR. 
a thing of beauty by them. “ Flowers are the alphabet 
of the angels, whereby they write on hills and dales 
mysterious truths.” Mrs. J. H. Williams. 
Ice Plant. —This year we have succeeded in getting 
an Ice plant to grow—something we have never done 
before. They require the morning sun and very little 
water. Florence M. Hurd. 
A Sunbeam. —Every lady should he happy to take 
The Floral Cabinet, for it is certainly a sunbeam 
in every homo it enters. 
Dallas, Texas, Mrs. A. M. Johnson. 
