57 
September, 19 21 
Building such a long flight of stairs may at first 
appear a bold experiment, but one finds its 
counterpart in Italian gardens where steep hills 
demand the same treatment and the overshad¬ 
owing foliage is equally luxurious as it is in 
California. When the planting on each side of 
the wall has completely grown up, the lines of 
the stairs will be softened and the long walls 
patterned with the arabesques of leafy shadows 
At one point on the hillside the parapet encloses 
a leafy spot that commands the stretches of the 
Arroyo Seco and its bridge, with the Sierra 
Madres in the distance. All through this garden 
effective use has been made of potted plants, a 
custom that might well be extended to other 
parts of the country. Here also is proof that 
cement, when properly used, is a desirable me¬ 
dium for the building of garden walls and shelters 
The gardens of the Mather house 
are a recent addition. The house 
was first designed by Myron Hunt 
and Elmer Gray, architects. Mr. 
Hunt has recently completed the 
gardens, building out the terrace 
and its supporting walls and set¬ 
ting in the long flights of cement 
steps that lead up on each side. 
This massing of cement in strong, 
substantial lines is highly effective 
