56 
House & Garden 
A GARDEN UNDER « HILL 
Leaning Agamst Its Oak Covered Slope This 17th Century House 
Stretches Drowsily in Front of Its Mirror 
MINGA POPE DURYEA 
I T IS possible that such a house and gar¬ 
den as this one in the south of England 
might be made, but most of it would have 
to happen. And it would have to happen 
slowly, during a centur}' or two, and with¬ 
out any hurry. There would have to be a 
lazy stream, a gentle slope rising slowly 
from the edge of the water, 
and behind that a ridge of 
oaks. The house would 
have to be built from time 
to time as the need arose 
for a little more room, and 
architecture and garden de¬ 
sign, as these things are 
generally considered, would 
have to be reduced to their 
most practical and elemen¬ 
tal forms; for the perfec¬ 
tion this place has attained 
is due to the fact that it is 
completely without self-con¬ 
sciousness or affectation. It 
is picturesque, genuinely so; 
but if that quality had been 
actively sought it would 
never have been achieved. 
The site, lying here 
between the highway and 
the stream, is comparatively 
small—not more than 150' by 300'. Its 
apparently larger size is due to the fact that 
the house was placed close to the road, so 
that the loveliest and most valuable part of 
the ground might be devoted to the lawn 
and gardens. Its position there also allows 
it to serve as a protection for the rest of the 
property. Having been built on the level 
of the highway it was necessary to raise 
the ground on the river side of the house 
sufficiently to give it nearly the same height 
all around. By raising the ground along 
this side a terrace was formed upon which 
one may step from any door of the house 
and be led from, one end of 
the place to the other—from 
the flower garden to the ser¬ 
vice yard. At various points 
along the terrace stone steps 
lead to the lawn that slopes 
on to the water’s edge. 
During the course of its 
grovdh the house has been 
added to in all the different 
building materials of the 
neighborhood. Part of it is 
stone, part btrick, part is 
shingled and part weather- 
boarded. Most of the roof 
is tile, but some of it is 
slate. Yet the house has 
come so naturally by this 
mad variety, and it is all 
so mellow’ed by time and 
blended together, that the 
effect is one not only of 
complete harmony but of an 
The low service 
wing on the left 
flank of the 
house opens on 
the long terrace 
planted wit h 
mulleins and 
sweet lavender 
Blue predomi¬ 
nates in the 
yew-e n cl o s ed 
garden that is 
built on varying 
levels created by 
retaming walls 
of dry masonry 
