Stranica 251 [251]
OTR
HIsToRiIc. GARDENS. (OP “VARGINTIA
land and reproduced it here. For many years the estate suffered
decay, and it was used as officers’ headquarters during the War
Between the States by both armies. Yet, during all these trying
times, no one cut down the beautiful boxwood or harmed the
larger trees.
A broad avenue one-half mile in length leads from the public
road to the house. As one enters here, the road divides and circles
to the marble walk which leads to the front door. On this front
lawn are the very largest trees—beech, laurel, oak and maple.
Across the front of the house and along the two sides are the box¬
trees which in front are kept low and clipped, but at the sides
have been allowed to grow as trees will until now they reach above
the middle of the second-story windows.
On the left of the house is a terrace with fine large box-trees
on the edge. On this also is the formal rose garden, which has been
planted by the present owner. Going down from the terrace by two
stone steps and on for about thirty feet one comes upon a little
stream with box-trees on either side, whose tops meet above it.
This is a veritable bird sanctuary, for here the year around birds
of some kind may be found. In summer the mocking bird, the
cardinal and the wren make it their very own.
On the other side of the stream after another level of about
thirty feet the ground is terraced again. Here, too, are box-trees
in line with the trees of the other terrace. On this the red day
lilies run wild and in June are a glowing mass. This is not seen
until one comes on it suddenly upon descending the first terrace..
There, too, the white narcissus is naturalized. Other native wild
flowers have been moved here—the blood-root, trailing arbutus
and others.
This year most of the box-trees have had their first clipping.
To know that one thousand three hundred pounds of short clippings
were cut and can hardly be missed, shows the number and size of
the stately trees of England that have found a home here and seem
to like it.
PRS