Attractive Garden

Attractive Garden.

How a flowing well has transformed it. 

David F. Allmendinger's unique and pretty garden and ponds on West Washington St.

On W. Washington St., between Third and Seventh Sts., are located the beautiful gardens of David F. Allmendinger, the superintendent of the Ann Arbor Organ Co. Here one finds a miniature summer resort and here he can easily forget that he is in a city. It is only nine years since Mr. Allmendinger purchased the place and with the help of a flowing well he as absolutely transformed it. In the ponds are growing water lilies white, yellow and red, and here too he has the Egyptian lotus whose flowers are now open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and which are attracting a number of visitors. In his smaller pond in which the lotus and the lilies grow are large quantities of gold fish which come to the surface at the sound of Mr. Allmendinger's voice, ready for the bread which they have been taught to expect. They are the common gold fish to be purchased in drug stores, but here they grow as large as 8 or 10 inches and their coloring is much more brilliant. They live in the pond all winter. His larger pond is stocked with German carp and he is now endeavoring to stock it with a number of other ifhs.

The flowing well sends up a spray of water 16 feet in the air, strong up to carry up with it a colored ball. The water is of fine quality. The pumping station of the Ann Arbor Water Co. located on an adjoining lot, when it works lowers the force of this well somewhat, although it never stops it altogether. When the water company stops pumping for a couple of days, the well will send a spray two feet higher.

But to return to the garden. The flowers seem larger, thriftier than in most gardens. Every inch of space is utilized, but the whole arrangement as a simple naturalness which attracts. The trees were all planed by Mr. Allmendinger and in a short space of time have grown to be a considerable size. Through the lower end of the garden runs a small brook, bridged in a rustic way, which turns a water wheel. Cozy nooks are to be found everywhere.

The garden is a work of true art and indicates the fact that Mr. Allmendinger has expended a good deal of labor and time on what to him seems to be a labor of love.