ARISTOTLE alisema, “Katika mambo yote ya asili kuna kitu cha kustaajabisha”—na ukitembea kuelekea mashariki kutoka Fifth Avenue, mtaa baada ya mtaa, unaweza kufika nyumbani kwenye hifadhi tulivu ya bustani maridadi ya ekari mbili, iliyo katikati ya msisimko wa jiji kuu.

**BUSTANI YA FARAGHA YA KIPEKEE:**

Kuna bustani nyingine tatu za faragha huko Manhattan, lakini zote zimezungukwa kabisa na nyumba za mjini. Ni bustani hii pekee ya faragha iliyo na nyumba 14 pande tatu, huku upande mmoja wenye urefu wa futi 120 ukielekea mashariki moja kwa moja juu ya maji yenye misukosuko ya Mto East na jua linalochomoza.

Mti wa kale wa plane ulio katikati ya bustani hii yenye ukubwa wa futi za mraba 12,000 umezungukwa na mimea maridadi inayotoa kipande tulivu cha mashambani kinachoweza kufikiwa na nyumba 14 tu za mjini zinazoizunguka.

Mbili kati ya nyumba 14 za awali zilinunuliwa na warithi wa kike, Anne Morgan, binti mdogo wa JP Morgan, na Anne Harriman Vanderbilt, ambao wote walikuwa na utajiri mkubwa na walichagua kwa makusudi kuondoka Fifth Avenue na kuhamia eneo hili, kisha wakamshirikisha mbunifu wa Majengo ya Enzi ya Dhahabu, Mott Schmidt, kuzisanifu upya nyumba zao. Kwa miongo kadhaa, watu ambao wangeweza kuishi popote Manhattan wamechagua eneo hili la kipekee.

Jumba hili lenye upana wa futi 33 liko katika eneo bora kwenye bustani hii ya faragha. Ukiingia ndani, unazama katika mwanga na kijani kibichi, kwa kuwa kila chumba kina madirisha makubwa mno. Kila kipengele cha nyumba yenyewe kimejaa ubunifu na haiba ya kipekee ya mmiliki wake wa kimataifa.

Lina takribani futi za mraba 8,500 katika viwango 7, likiwa na lifti ya haidroli, vyumba vya mapokezi, vyumba 7 vya kulala, bafu 7 na nusu, mtaro wa faragha, pamoja na mtaro mkubwa wa paa wenye jiko la kuchomea nyama na jiko kamili, unaotazama bustani ya faragha ya ekari mbili na mikondo mikali ya Mto East. Ikiwa kufuatilia kwa makini mabadiliko ya misimu kila siku ndiyo uchawi wa bustani na mandhari zinazoonekana kupitia kila dirisha, kipaji cha mpangilio wa sasa wa sakafu ni kwamba unatoa unyumbufu wa nadra kuhusu jinsi vyumba mbalimbali vinavyoweza kutumika.

Ukiiona nyumba hii siku yenye jua na kutoka kwenye bustani yake ya faragha na kuingia katika eneo kubwa zaidi la ekari mbili, kisha ukawaona watoto wawili wadogo wakicheza kwenye bembea iliyoning’inizwa kwenye mti mkubwa wa zamani, huenda ukavutiwa na uchawi wake kama vile mmiliki huyu alivyozongwa na mvuto wake.

ARISTOTLE said, "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" -and walking east from Fifth Avenue, block by block, could take you home to the serene sanctuary of an exquisite two acre garden in the midst of the vibrant energy of a great city.

THE ULTIMATE PRIVATE GARDEN:

There are three other private gardens in Manhattan, but they are totally enclosed by townhouses. Only this private garden has 14 houses on three sides with one end containing 120 feet facing east directly over the turbulent water of the East River and the rising sun.

The ancient plane tree at the center of this 12,000 square foot garden is surrounded by exquisite plantings that provide a serene piece of the country accessible to only 14 townhouses that surround it.

Two of the of the original 14 houses were acquired by heiresses, Anne Morgan, the youngest daughter of JP Morgan, and Anne Harriman Vanderbilt, both with immense fortunes who intentionally chose to leave Fifth Avenue for this location and engaged the Gilded Age Architect Mott Schmidt to redesign their homes. Throughout the decades, people who could have lived anywhere in Manhattan have chosen this unique spot.

This 33' wide mansion is in an ideal location on this private garden. Once inside, you are immersed in light and greenery as every room has huge massive windows. Every aspect of the house itself is infused with the creativity and extraordinary personality of its international owner.

Its approximately 8,500 square feet on 7 levels with a hydraulic elevator includes public rooms, 7 bedrooms 7.5 baths, a private terrace plus a huge rooftop terrace with a barbecue and full kitchen overlooking the two acre private garden and roaring currents of the East River. If closely watching the seasons change on a daily basis is the magic of the gardens and the views out each window, the genius of the current floorplan is that it provides a unusual flexibility as to how the various rooms can be used.

If you see this house on a sunny day and you emerge from its private garden into the larger two acre space and saw two small children on a swing hanging from the large old tree, you might be struck by its enchantment just as this owner was.