A view across the rose beds to the tea house. Its classic dignity is in harmony with the formality of the garden 
THE FORMAL GARDEN THAT WAS AN ORCHARD 
The City Property of William M. Ritter, Esq., in Columbus, Ohio, Where Flat Ground Was Regraded 
Into an Interesting Garden Development. Charles N. Lowrie, Landscape Architect 
ELSA REHMANN 
A FORMAL garden is at its best when it is placed in and the curving path, which runs along the extreme eastern 
close connection with the house. This, however, is side of the property and curves along the back. It is a shady 
not always possible in furnishing garden sur¬ 
roundings for old houses. The garden was 
once not considered an intimate part of the 
house as it is at the present time. When it 
is not possible to step into the formal garden 
directly from the living-room, then the path 
connecting house and garden ought to be as 
secluded as possible. In this property the con¬ 
nection is formed by a curving path, which is 
hidden from the lawn by shrubbery. 
This curving path connects with two other 
paths, which are at right angles to one another. 
The shorter east and west path has a tea house 
at its eastern end. At the end of the longer 
north and south path, through an avenue of 
small flowering crabs and flower borders, is 
seen the pergola. 
This long path divides the property into two 
equal parts. On the west side is the service 
portion; the road to the garage, the hedge- 
bounded vegetable gardens and laundry yard, 
and the orchard. On the east side is the social 
part: the formal garden, the tennis court, the 
play lawn with its fruit trees, the tea house 
An interesting 
interior of the 
brick and 
feature o f the 
tea house is its 
marble pavement 
informal path, which connects tea house and 
pergola and then, with another curve, which 
disguises entirely its intention, it turns into 
the court in front of the garage. 
It is an essential of good garden planning 
that the service part is cut off and entirely 
hidden from the garden, but that there is easy 
access between them. In fact, it is essential 
to have easy communication between all the 
various parts of the grounds, and there is an 
added charm if in the leisurely inspection of 
the grounds there need: be no retracing of 
steps. 
Straight paths, bordered by hedges, by 
rows of trees or flower borders, make long 
vistas; curving paths that are tree and shrub¬ 
bery-bounded give little surprises at each 
turning; lawns and flower gardens are 
doubly interesting if framed in with tall 
trees. 
This plot, like so many in our cities, espe¬ 
cially in the Middle West, is very flat. Even 
a slight change in ground level, made con¬ 
scious through a succession of steps, will 
