The Washington times., 1922-10-29
VISIT TO GINSTON HALL INSPIRATION
TO GARDEN CLU CONFERENCE BRINGS
NUMEROUS N0TABLES TO WASHINGTON
Presentation oil Mrs. Andrews "Wildflower
Fantasy" High Light of Meeting.

.
bordered beds of this. sunny
garden, fragrant heliotrope. candy
tuft, petunias. wallflowers. and
late roses, with quantities OF
cosmos and chrysapthemums. and
all against beautifully planted
background Of tall green things
and low bushes starred with scar
let berries.
SINCE most OF the garden club
delegates hailed from other
cities, most OF them were strang-
ers to me. but here and there
among the guests I noted a ia
miliar face--Mrs. Minnigerode
Andrews. one Of the most active
members OF the Washington COM
mittee, who was by way Of being
master OF ceremonies; her young
daughter-in-law, Mrs. Eliphalet
r. Andrews, who had piloted
the caravan of motors through
the winding Virginia roads 10
Gunston;, Mrs. Cary T. Grayson.
Mrs. Frederick Brooke, Mrs.
Charles d. Walcott, Mrs. Henry
Getty Chiffon and young Mrs.
Bridge. OF the British embassy;
Miss Ellen Fillebrown. Miss Rose
Greely. back after long residence
IN Boston to take UP her profes-
sion Of landscape architecture in
Washington. her old home: and
a number Of others.
The ladies spent most of their
time strolling about in the ex-
tensive gardens. but II anybody
failed to go through the house
she missed a treat. It's p,rfect
"a beautiful old Colonial ho,.,e.
with a wide hallway through the
center Of the house and well pro
portioned, high ceilinged rooms on
either side. The mantels, the
cornices and the fine old hand
carved pediments-if that's the
proper architectural term-over
doors and windows made my
mouth water: and one room is
pansled in a soft unpublished
brown wood. which looks as
though 1t might be westhered
deal and which. I'm told. was
uncovered after six or eight lay
ers Of wall paper had been
peeled off.
Open fires were burning in each
room and contributed a CHEEKY
note. The house has been fitted
up with the same discrimination
which marked its restoration.
Everything Is 'in character"Sl
the furnishings Of the colonial
period. fine old mahogany. old
portraits on the walls, historic
china in the cupboards. but It has
an atmosphere Of comfort, per-
sonality and charm which most
period houses" lack.
And the bedrooms, with their
sloping ceilings, their four poster
beds, their candlewicl1 spreads
and ball .fringed muslin curtains-
well, they are utterly fascinating.
There's only one noticeably mod
ern note in the house-save cleo.
tricity. central heating and up-to-
date plumbing-andt that's the ar
ray Of photographs. autograph
ed most Of them. of dignitaries,
foreign and domestic. who have
been entertained by Mr.. and Mrs
Hertle at Gunston Hall, Balfour
and DR.. SEE, the former Secretary
Of State, Mr.. Lansing, and the
present Secretary Of Agriculture.
Mr.. Wallace. and q whole grist OF
others smile down from the walls.
But they harmonize very well
with their old fashioned setting
and In the room where most Of
them stand there's a copy Of the
bill Of rights on linen-or 1t may
even be the original. although one
would suppose that would be in
some museum-let into the wall
above the chimney piece.
=
on the way down to Gunston
the garden club delegates in.
spected the Government expert