Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-10-17
AS ONE WOMAN SEES IT
Garden Club Of America Is Now Hold
Ing Convention In Philadelphia,
the City Of Its Birth
BY SARAH ID. LOwRIE

and societies to which it's members belong.
Possibly II sense Of duty might make them
miss It's meetings for those of some other
society; possibly the circumstances of their
lives might compel them to forgo their mem
hcrship in it's wide circle but its charm lies
in the fact that those eligible for its member
ship must possess thing which IN Itself is
both beautiful and charming and good to
have and yet which involves neither wealth
on the part Of the owner nor an exclusive
enjoyment. In fact, part of its value is that
It can he shared and suffer no diminution by
constant use; n constant yielding UP Of its
gifts. indeed, is n necessity OF its very life.
This organization, then, which involves
possession and also the delights Of sharing,
and which implies common taste for
beautiful and charming occupation and is not
50 much pleasant duty as natural pleas.
urr--what i it but the Garden Club Of
America. that is holding its autumnnl meet
ing in this city of gardens?
\NTE ARE spoken of slightingly 6y those
w who do not know us as a city of slums
and narrow streets and wind blown alleys.
But beginning with Germantown and Chest
nut Hill and making II wide circle within
the city limits east, west north south there
are more gardens and park like grounds
under beautiful cultivation than most cities
Of the world can boast; while IL the nearby
country places Of the citizens of Philadelphia
arc included and they should be included as
such garden spot as ours in all America.
Il Is not fnd or modern fashion with
MS 70 have gardens, or to exchange seeds and
cuttings or to compare notes on cultivation,
or to discuss soils and composts and fer
tili2crs. Our parents did it before us and
their fOrCfathcrs before them. For genera
tOnS our we'll do citizens have built
smalish plain houses for town use and
spacious houses in broad garden places for
country use.
L'AIRMOUNT Park Is very notable and
i VIC are congratulated on its beauty and
the charm Of its landscape gardening. But
FairmNunt Park Is only n series of Colonial
country places and garden spots designed by
tho men and women who Inhabited the town
II century and half ago. The Park Com
mission gradually bought up these private
places and put them together into one great
pleasure ground. The same thing could be
done from RoSnmont to Valley Forge or
from JcnKintown 20 Chestnut Hill or from
Radnor to Media or from Lansdowne to
Swarthmoro or from the Mill Greek to the
Darby Creek.
The town has swallowed up the rest of the
old Colonial country placeS--cxCept those that
havo been preserved BY turning them into
parks--hctwcon COllowlili street and Ger
muntown ami between West Philadelphia
and Darby bur many Of the gardens are left.
and for every old park like country seat that
has been diSmantIrd and cut into town lots
twenty newer ones have spread out into
charming yistaS along lii" old highroads
leading TO Trenton. to York. TO Lancaster.
I" Chester and to Reading.
There never was such town for country
clubs and boating clubs and holiday houses
and camping parties and walking clubs and
athletic associations. because our natural
bent is toward garden spots and our great
idea Of plPnsur" is to be oUt Of doors and
under green trees and open skies. working
or playing.