H ouse and Garden 
of the com¬ 
munity. Situ¬ 
ated as it is at a 
junction of 
i m p o r t a n t 
roads where 
nearly all the 
visitors to El¬ 
kins Park are 
likely to pass, 
it renders in¬ 
estimable ser¬ 
vice at giving a 
tone to the 
whole locality, 
and suggesting 
to other resi¬ 
de n ts what 
they, too, may 
accomplish 
with a pleasure 
in the doing 
and at little expense. The entire cost of 
improving these grounds is represented by 
the moderate sum of $2300, a small outlay 
when it is remembered that the money once 
spent is not for a season only but for an in¬ 
definitely long time. Perhaps the garden 
features now built of wood will have to be 
replaced before many years, but the effect of 
all other structural parts will only be aided by 
the weathering and coloring of insinuating 
Time, abetted by the ever fuller and richer 
growth of vine and bush and tree. 
But it may be urged the care which such 
a garden must continually have has here 
been overlooked. To the first cost already 
given the year¬ 
ly expense of 
trimming the 
hedges might 
be added at $50 
as a maximum 
and also a small 
sum for seeds 
and water tax. 
Designers of 
gardens, as of 
houses, must 
indeed bear in 
mind the cost 
of maintenance 
which their 
work involves, 
but the amount 
of labor that a 
garden requires 
may be easily 
overestimated. 
It was duly weighed by Mr. Ostrander 
and his architect before this garden was 
built, and their calculations have since been 
proved correct. This house and garden 
is what may be termed a “one man place,” 
which means that the work of the stable 
is done by one man, and he, being an 
efficient person, also manages to give the 
garden the care it needs, except perhaps 
that in the spring and autumn a laborer 
may be called in for a few days. At those 
seasons also the enthusiastic mistress of 
the place is not to be curbed and she too 
lends her forces to the pleasurable task. 
E. T. 
THE PLAN OF THE GARDEN 
The Property of W. M. Ostrander, Esj. Lawrence V. Boyd, Architect 
167 
