Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-19
FOR THE GARDEN
PRETTY ADJUNCTs TO COMFORT
AND EASE.
Up-to-Date Hints That Handy Fingers
Will Find Easy to Imi-
.- tate.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
Modern life is nothing II rot complete in
detail. Having reduced the art OF the
house to a science. decorators are devoting
attention to outdoor appliances. The fur
1.shing OF a flower plot since the craze for
old Italian gardens came In has become q
matter Of time. taste and money.
To be particularly up 20 date one must
know all about gardens and gardening.
Any morning one may see monogramed
and crested carriages waiting outside the
doors OF the landscape gardeners while
! their mistresses inside are deep In confer
ence with the authorities on the growing Of
flowers and plants,
Just at present garden furniture is the
| chief topic OF interest. and the express
companies vans are laden with all the
quaint and odd devices with which the
moneyed woman Is willing to experiment In
| fitting up her city or country garden.
/ 1t is only recently that the American
woman OF wealth has taken an interest IN
! flowers Her present convictions are due to
| the example of English women who have
visited this country or entertained Ameri-
cans abroad. English ladies are inclined te
| look upon a knowledge OF flowers and an
| interest In plants as indications OF refine
ment.
One OF the most enthusiastic visitors TO
the rose show recently held in New York
| city was Lady Grey, who for a couple OF
weeks was the guest OF New York society
/ leaders Nothing was more IN contrast
| than the enthusiasm displayed by the Eng
| lsh woman and the bored expression OF the
fashionable dame who accompanied her and
found an early excuse for retiring to the
spectators gallery while Lady Grey made
| a critical tour Of the booths.
English gardens are to an American wo-
man a revelation. They have, a rule,
the advantages Of centuries of culture and
the attention Of owners skilled in artistic
nicettes. One cannot always make a land
scape connoisseur out Of raw material.
The Modern Way.
While almost all the furnishings OF the
modern garden are developed from ideas
that had their origin in early Italian or
English parterres, quite a modern finish
has been given to most Of the really useful
pieces. Possibly there is no real improve
ment in the garden settee, chair and arbor,
but even these are trif1e more graceful
and artistic than the originals from which
they were developed.
All outdoor furniture must be made with
the object OF preserving" its good looks IN
spite of the attacks of wind and sun and
rain. Woods still bearing the bark serve
best to combine art and durability. one
advantage of this is that any living
near the woods may be his own furniture
designer and maker. A catalogue from one
of the landscape gardeners will supply
many ideas which may be adapted 10 the
specimens Of rough wood in hand. Tree
branches In fantastic shapes may be built
into chairs or settees OF great picturesque
ness.
A hammock is the most important feature
Of a garden TO the souls who are interested
in mere creature comfort. Nothing is more
delicious than to browse away a summer
afternoon in some cool and shady garden
nook rocked by the passing breezes and
soothed by the fragrance OF flowers.
Things to Know.
The wise woman chooses for outdoor use
a stout hammock with well-seasoned ex-
tenders-one that Will neither warp nor rot,
although attacked by the severest storms.
Gayly dyed affairs, bolstered and cush,
toned, are not nearly so desirable for SER
vice under the trees as are the plain ones,
because few drenchngs reduce even the
most highly recommended fabrics TO a color
less condition. If cushions are needed to
make the hammock more comfortable they
should be brought from the house and never
left out over night.
Long settees OF wood stained or enameled
green may be copied by the home gardener.
The framework must be that of a simple
bench, with narrow strips to fill in the open
spaces. Sometimes coat of white paint or
enamel is used a surface decoration, but
as white soon turns to gray it is scarcely
to be compared in economy with green.
Double setteeS with high pointed corner
projections from which an awning may be
swung are extremely picturesque A rug
and few cushions will make these settees
quite comfortable.
If the garden boasts trees there should
be tree seats. These are merely wooden
projections built around the trunk. They
are sometimes square and sometimes round;
the square ones being obviously easier for
the home carpenter to put up.
The Tea Tables.
Tiny garden tables are usually kept on
raised platform or In summer house.
They are intended to hold the cups and saul
GERS or the plates when a dainty afternoon
repast is served under the trees.
Summer houses or arbors are not hard TO
put up. A carpenter may erect the frame
work. which can then be covered with bark
and twigs at the convenience of the owner.
In place Of the arbors there are the al
fresco garden shelters Of wickerwork COW
cred with awning material and containing
a single long, low seat. With narrow strips
of wood a framework in Imitation of the
wicker shelters may be put up, and with q
supply of awning material the cover could
be constructed at home. A wicker tea ia
BILE goes with the purchased shelter. but any
table that is low and inexpensive will do.
Pillars to support bowls of flowers may
be made by the carpenter and afterward
pensable adjuncts to the Italian gardens
which are now all the fashion. Terra Gotta
bowls as large as tubs are supplied for -
growing aquatic flowers.
The bath chair and swinging chair are
useful in giving an atmosphere Of socia-
bility to even the most dreary lawn.
No matter how small il may be every
parterre can be made charming by the ex-
ercise of little forethought. Much OF the
garden furniture shown in the ware rooms
of landscape gardeners can be initiated by
a bright boy accustomed to the use of car
penters' tools. The woman who has taken
course in manual training may be an
adept, and in that case can design and con-
struct her own garden embellishments with
out the assistance of a mere man.
One of the prettiest pieces of garden fur
niture is a sun dial. but it requires some
skill TO fashion one.
The Kaiser Calls Him "Bill.v