The stairs on the south-facing sloped lawn to the house lead to the Aull's Beech Lawn.
This lawn was one of the first garden areas developed by John Aull, then single, after remodeling the modest wood farm house that came with the 150 acres he first purchased in 1909. After his marriage to Marie in the 1920's and a rework of the farmhouse into the Arts and Crafts style home you see today, the lawn was further enhanced as a perch to overlook the woodlands surrounding the home.
Turn to face the house and you will see one of Marie's favorite spots. A large-paned window overlooking the Beech lawn and the woodland beyond. From this perch she watched hummingbirds at her feeders and read hundreds of books.
Today, this lawn features two giant trees, one a shagbark hickory and the other a beech tree. Touch the smooth bark of the beech and notice how cool it is. If you go to the other side of the lawn you’ll see the great shagbark hickory—a great contrast to the beech. Next to the hickory look out over the walkway below and into the woods. The bench at the southern end of the lawn is a great vantage point for viewing Marie's beloved Twin Sycamore tree. Note how large it is compared to the rest of the trees in the woods around it.
The lawn is also bordered by Canadian Hemlock trees, varieties of boxwood and Japanese anemone that bloom in late summer.
