New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-13

rowadavs the tiniest little plot at the back OF
the most ordinary city house is dlgnihed by the
Lame of garden
"Time was, also, when it gave me pleasant
little thrill of anticipation to receive an invita-
ton TO take tea in our garden, but 1t no longer
has the charm of novelty when every third per-
son whom know has garden, and am quite
prepared to find the tea table set in two-by-
four bit Of gravel surrounded by green iatuce
with one-by-two flower bed on either side'
at seems to me-" she went on, warming up
to her subject, chat within the last five or SIX
wears the residents of this town have suddenly
awakened to the fact that there is such thing
as outdoors in the great metropolis Inc IN
crease in roof gardens has been something 70
marvel at, but it is nothing to the increase IN
the number of back yard gardens.
1.-THE back yard garden has its advantages
over the garden on the roof. In the hrst place
il is more accessible. One doesn't have 10
climb three or four flights of stairs to reach II,
and the question of serving meals is much
simpler.
"Then, too vegetation grows much more lux
urianty in the real flower beds than 1t ever uoeS
in boxes of earth. The back yard, too, is usu-
ally more sheltered than the roof, and, with
comparatively good sized awning over the Top
and fences and brick walls on the four sloes'
one can sleep in a Gloucester hammock swung
across the corner and feel quite sheltered ana
secluded.
"And then, again." she continued, "it seems
70 me that one can somehow or other put more
of ones own individuality into the back yard
than one can into the roof garden. What do
you Think"
OLD DAYS AT CECCHINA'S
"The mere mention Of a back yard gives me
4, hungry. homesick feeling" I replied, for It
br;nvs hack the remembrance of Cecchinas
little old restaurant in Tenth Street You
never heard of it? 1t probably went out OF
existence before you came to New YORK. Dut
when first came here, ten years ago, 1t seemed
To me the most fascinating eating place IN the
whole world.
"You went through a spotless French kitchen
hung with shining copper and brass, Where
Michele. Cecchina's husband was preparing the
evening meal, and you emerged into long,
narrow back yard, with narrow flower BEDS
along the sides, Aanked by rows OF tables win
a clump of shrubs in the middle Across the
further end there was a raised platform with
roof over it, and on this platform there were
more tables.
"On rainy nights the guests who braved the
elements IN nartake of Micheles excellent cook
ing sat at tables under this shelter, and Raj
mond. the eldest son of the family and the
,naitrs dhotel, carried the steaming dishes from
tho kitchen to the hungry ones under huge
umbrella. There were no electric lights, but
eacb table had candle, which sputtered In
the breeze and cast interesting shadows on the
real Bohemians who were dining there. All,
them was the happy days"
A RACK YARD ITALIAN GARDEN
aft is queer how everything reminds you of
food" commented Letitia. "But let's get back
TO the subject Of the New York back yard OF
the nresent day. ! never realized until recently
their infinite variety. / spent an evening last
summer in one that was so very Italian IN its
feeling that it might have been the plot at the
hack of little Neapolitan villa.
"The ground is covered with tiny pebbles, and
the flowers and vines are planted in flower pots
arranged in rows along the sides or in circle
around some central feature, such as fountain
or the stone pedestals, each of which holds an
urn or the bust of some noble Roman
IAN eight-foot plaster wall separates TINS
Garden from the estates on either side, and
long boxes filled with trailing vines adorn the
ton. On one side niche-shaped opening has
been cut and bordered with design in gay COL
ors On the ledge of this opening stands
bright red geranium. There are stone foun-
tain and benches and urns galore, and at the
end an iron table and small iron chairs
"Can you picture that garden on moonlight
night in summer, when the Italian gentleman
who is its proud owner entertains his friends!
big. straw-covered bottle Of Chianti on the
table and 'Addio Napoli' played on mandolin
by the lovely, brown-eyed daughter OF the
house had this delightful experience, and l
am praying that may be invited to repeat II.
WHERE BUDDHA PRESIDES
s1 couldn't begin to describe the varieties OF
hack wards that have seen. recall one
where wonders were accomplished in narrow
strin of ground between two houses which you
and I would not have thought worth botherlng
with.
"The niece de resistance in this garden was
a statue of Buddha, which was incorporated
IN fountain and featured at the end OF the
garden against green wooden fence. A BRICK
WALL between two narrow flower beds bordered
with brick led TO this fountain, which was
raised about foot from the level Of the gar
den by a concrete foundation. There was