There have been many photos of brownstones facades in the past but rare are the ones displaying the backyards of the townhouses. The above photo taken in Harlem circa 1912 shows what one of the gardens out back actually looked like in the earlier days. Shutters appear to be a prominent feature on the brick back walls and another interesting detail is the actual fence separating each property. It appears that the position of the wood panels all followed a horizontal direction in this case and not the more common vertical fashion that one sees today. The garden itself looks pretty basic in the image but the flora looks just planted.
Apropos of nothing, really, but in London during this same period many house would still have privies in the back yard.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was a simple back yard..before folks tried to "outdo" their neighbors !!!! and Home Depots...
ReplyDeleteRemarkable photo, and from what I understand, the original 1800's back yards were utilitarian, an out house, a cistern and not really much of a garden. This looks well cared for with the circular flower bed and shrubs along the fence. Harlem now has many avid gardeners who appreciate how precious and rare a private green space is in Manhattan.
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