March, 1915 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
171 
■BrifcfiSUI 
gl 
iff] 
m 
an ■ iiliP 
iii 
|ri| 
The view across the “ante-room,” showing the fence that emphasizes the privacy of the flower garden. By a succession of steps is the visitor introduced to the grounds, pass¬ 
ing from the street by feathery Relinispora pisifera and massed rhododendrons and cedars to the path at the top of the terrace which fronts the house 
to a little vestibule or ante-room, if we may borrow the archi¬ 
tect’s terms. It is a little breathing space, a place pleasant to 
linger in. Masses of rhododendrons, with a background of cedars, 
face us. On the left the white gate opens into a short cut 
through the flower garden to the living-room; on the right, tall, 
feathery Retinispora pisifera specimens on either side indicate 
that the walk continues in that direction toward the front door. 
After we pass the retinispora sentinels we make a turn, and an¬ 
other five steps brings us up to the house level. This turn and 
the shrubbery around it hide one flight of steps from the other, 
and the level piece of ground between breaks into two short 
flights what might have been one long, tiresome as well as tiring 
flight of steps. Once on the house level, the walk runs along the 
whole front of the house. 
Not only is this arrangement of the walk direct and attractive 
in itself, but it makes possible a considerable space of unbroken 
lawn between the walk and the east fence. 
The solution seems so simple and appropriate that all the care, 
labor and study put into the planning for grading, for construc¬ 
tion of wall work and steps is entirely lost from mind. It should 
be so. All study should be hidden behind seemingly unstudied 
naturalness. Such fundamentals, to which the planting — so im¬ 
portant in itself—is added as a decorative feature, display the in¬ 
genuity of the landscape architect and show the practicability of 
employing him. 
The path is laid in brick. Brick pavements have a permanent 
decorative quality and a warm color of special value in the win¬ 
ter effectiveness of a garden. 
At the end of the path stands 
a maple tree—a piece of rare 
good luck to have it in just that 
position. Such a beautifully 
shaped old tree has a way of im¬ 
parting some of its own dignity 
and distinction to the house and 
grounds near it. Its depth of 
shadow lends an indescribable 
charm, beside providing a strong 
contrast of shade to the sunny 
lawn. 
The house is well orientated 
in relation to the various parts 
of the grounds. It faces east 
upon the lawn. On the south 
side is the living-porch facing 
the garden; on the north side, 
the kitchen, and cellar doors 
open on a lattice-screened and 
brick-paved enclosure used both 
as laundry yard and service 
court. A path, which joins at 
right angles to the path along 
the front of the bouse, connects 
this court with the roadway. 
I his Service path is bordered On the plan the relation of the path to 
by heavy and continuous masses the rest of the properly is clearly shown 
