June, 1916 
13 
The Nipponese use of rustic timber, wattles and thatch is 
shown in this gate to the Japanese garden of C. Brown, Esq., 
on Staten Island, New York. T. Shiota, landscape architect 
The gateway of the Japanese garden on George Gould’s 
estate at Lakewood, showing the sine qua non of decora¬ 
tion — the stone lantern. T. Shiota, landscape architect 
The Japanese give their gardens the interest of the intimate, the 
diminutive and the picturesque, and the spirit of repose, all shown 
in this American garden. J. Fletcher Street, landscape architect 
never circular; they are more or less wedge- 
shape, with the head or blunt end towards 
the influx of the stream and the sharp end 
towards the exit. The side of the island 
which offers resistance would naturally be 
rounded off, while the other end, owing 
to the continuous, grinding influence of the 
outgoing stream, would become elongated. 
If it be a small brook that we have to 
develop, but slight financial outlay will be 
required, for here already we have a pic¬ 
ture in the rough, to which nothing need be 
done save the refinement of certain details 
—a restraining touch there, perhaps a 
broader treatment with congenial planting 
elsewhere. If our design calls for a pond, 
we will need to dam up the brook, provid¬ 
ing the topography of the land permits. 
Should, however, the stream be one subject 
to the ravages of spring freshets, the safe 
practice would be to divert the water only 
in such measure as is actually necessary; 
for any violent current sweeping over and 
among aquatics means the destruction of 
any tender specimens, the breaking down of 
lotus, papyrus and the like, besides covering 
everything with a layer of mud. 
It is important to have pools and water¬ 
courses both waterproof and weatherproof. 
A rich mixture of concrete, composed of 
one part Portland cement, two parts of 
clean, sharp sand and four parts of broken 
trap-rock or screened cinders, properly re¬ 
inforced with iron and satisfactorily sur¬ 
faced with cement mortar, will provide the 
first; and the shape, character and con¬ 
struction of the walls, when correctly built, 
will offset any tendencies to freezing. 
Water need not be constantly provided. 
It is necessary to supply only a sufficient 
amount to balance the evaporation, for 
water does not grow stagnant when a few 
fish and some submerged plants are in¬ 
stalled. 
Bridges and Trees 
Bridges of stone or of wood are delight¬ 
ful features of pond or watercourse, as they 
lend a feeling of directing by mute sugges¬ 
tion to some point otherwise inaccessible or 
to some interesting feature of the garden 
such as a tea-house or pergola. 
Rocks of exquisite texture and color, 
properly placed, lend a quiet dignity and 
solidity to the composition; and the ever- 
popular stepping stones give a dry access 
to some boggy spot, or else convey one un¬ 
consciously by their very sense of direction 
to a hidden feature of the garden. 
In planting a garden of Japanese in¬ 
fluence, some single tree should be given a 
distinct position and all other planting made 
subservient to it. This may be either an 
oak or pine, or some other mature specimen 
already found within the garden area. If 
a pond be arranged, its margins should be 
planted sparingly; the south side should, 
indeed, be quite open. Trees which, by 
broadly-extending branches, would cast 
deep shadows upon the water, should be 
kept near bridges, crossings or some other 
intimate feature; and heavily-foliaged trees 
should be grow n only where density of mass 
is desired, as along a cascade or near a 
waterfall. Several species of pine, juniper 
and hemlock suggest repose; and they, 
therefore, furnish an ideal background for 
all our garden pictures. 
In March, myriads of early bulbs bloom 
forth in protected corners of the Japanese 
garden; April brings flowering cherries, 
almond and crab-apple; May is ushered in 
amid a riot of azalea bloom and wistaria; 
June is rendered memorable by the iris; 
July by lilies and sweet night odors. Dur¬ 
ing August, water-lilies and lotus enliven 
the surface of the pond, and the cardinal- 
flower flashes its scarlet torches along the 
margins in September. For October, count¬ 
less native asters and chrysanthemums call 
back a livelier color note to the composition. 
In November, Japanese maples fire every 
recess with their dazzling yellow, orange 
and scarlet; and, after all the leaves have 
fallen, one modest shrub, the witch hazel, 
blooms alone at the threshold of winter. 
