House and Garden 
Although only an acre in extent, the lot, by its 
southern slope and bit of forest land, has made it 
possible to develop an unusual garden scheme. 
Descending the flight of steps in the middle of the 
southern terrace a semicircular grass terrace is 
reached which is bordered by an arbor vitae hedge and 
a simple arrangement of columns, connected by 
chains, which are festooned by wistaria, and show 
masses of purple in the spring against the white dog¬ 
wood below. In the center is a pool of water, the 
resort of all the birds in the neighborhood who fear¬ 
lessly drink and bathe. To the left is the kitchen 
yard behind a privet hedge. On the west side, the 
loggia is protected by a concrete wall across the strip 
of green and the side steps lead to the grass terrace 
level and into a perennial garden enclosed partly by 
the wall and partly by a privet hedge, in which some 
successful topiary work with arch and columns has 
been begun. In the central grass plot of this little 
enclosure is a sun-dial wreathed in coral honeysuckle 
where small birds love to nest. Again, descending 
steps from this garden on the extreme right the rose 
garden is reached, flanked on the right by a high 
treillage covered with roses and serving as a wind¬ 
break and a screen. A grass walk runs through the 
middle, lined with cedar posts wreathed with climb¬ 
ing roses to a rose arch and a Rosa rugosa hedge, 
through which' the lower part of the place is ap¬ 
proached. This lower southern and eastern part 
has been kept in all its primitive wildness with one 
exception. Centering from the pool on the upper 
terrace, and reached by a second middle flight of 
steps, a vista has been cut through to the lowest end 
and lined by junipers, which, though still young, 
give promise of a green wall, and at the end of this 
diminutive tapis vert, stands the Diana of Labia on a 
high pedestal, flanked by evergreens. For the rest, 
the lower place is a primitive copse. Tall chestnut 
and oak trees still shelter birds and rabbits; wild 
violets and roses, windflowers, native azaleas and 
hardy ferns are left to flourish at their own sweet will 
and are only helped by being fertilized and protected 
from the gardener. Dogwood, wild hawthorn, wild 
grape vines, and blackberry bushes are coaxed 
FIRST FLOOR PLAN OF THE ELLICOTT HOUSE 
