Designed by CHARLES A. PLATT 
N OWHERE can the delights of a garden 
he better appreciated than amid the alien 
surroundings of a built-up city. Factory 
smoke and the shade of tall buildings are 
not insuperable obstacles to gardening,though 
they may complicate its difficulties ; and the 
finding of materials which are proof against 
these torments is a victory for the gardener, 
and will be a distinguishing mark of his 
work. These objections were set aside by a 
member of the 
Yondotega Club 
when he present¬ 
ed to his fellows 
a scheme f o r 
beautifying their 
grounds. The 
Club property is 
situated in the 
centerofDetroit; 
it measures about 
one hundred feet 
square; and is 
surrounded by 
high walls, far 
above which tall 
neighboring 
structures rise. 
Inside a length 
of iron fence at 
the front, a bam- 
boo screen, 
placed at right 
angles with the 
wall, protects 
from public view 
apartment or casino, furnished with tables at 
which members of the Club take their meals, 
its chief use being for the mid-day. This, as 
well as the gardens and their enclosure, is 
the work of Mr. Charles A. Platt, and was 
finished last spring. The principal object it 
was desired to gain in the arrangement of the 
grounds was to provide a pleasing view from 
the veranda of the club-house. For this 
reason the garden and the casino were lowered 
a distance of 
three feet below 
the house floor. 
It was then nec¬ 
essary to obtain 
as extensive an 
effect as possible 
within the limit¬ 
ed free space re¬ 
maining (about 
50 x 100 feet) ; 
and to this end 
the parterres 
were made few 
in number and 
large in size, 
while the central 
walk was especi¬ 
ally emphasized 
so as to give an 
effect of length 
when looking 
along it. Refer¬ 
ence to the plan 
will show the 
simplicity of the 
scheme and also 
A PORTION OF THE CASINO AT THE YONDOTEGA CLUB 
