When Alexander Turney Stewart died in 1876, his dream for the model village of Garden City, his Elysian Fields, did not die with him. Nor did his sense of order, which lives on today in the strict zoning codes adhered to by the village. The aesthetics that Garden City is known for, like manicured lawns, tree-lined streets, exclusive homes and private golf courses, are all somehow related to the historic preservation of Stewart's vision. In this bicentennial year, as Garden City remembers its founder, it is particularly important to reflect upon people who have a special commitment to historic preservation.

Michael Chrobet, a landscape architect born and raised in Garden City, has spent the last 15 years designing both residential and commercial landscapes, working extensively in Garden City and the metro area. Chrobet still maintains his family home in the western section of Garden City but currently resides in Gramercy Park, Manhattan. His passion for classical gardens, his respect for historical conservation and his eye for detail have gained him much verbal praise among his clients.

Not a trendy landscape architect, Chrobet favors French and English-style classical, period gardens. It is no surprise to learn that he has lived in Europe and traveled widely throughout it, documenting his favorite gardens: Vaux-le-Vicomte, Villandry, Hidcote Manor, Blenheim and Schwetzingen, to name a few. So it seems only befitting in a village like Garden City, built in the Victorian era, that Chrobet has left his mark.

His latest project is the design of a landscape garden appropriate to the "Apostle House" on 15 Rockaway Avenue, built circa 1872 by Stewart's architect, John Kellum. In the 1870s, Kellum built a total of 10 "Apostle Houses." The name "Apostle" had no religious significance. It was merely a nickname concocted by St. Mary's School children to distinguish the larger houses ("Apostle") from the smaller houses ("Disciple").

Each house was built in Victorian style, stood three stories high and sat on a two-and-a-half acre plot of pastoral land. These villa-like residences were priced at $20,000. Obviously Stewart's intention was to attract wealthy men from Manhattan to his oasis in the heart of the Hempstead Plains. Unfortunately, Stewart never took up occupancy in Garden City and died before the completion of his dream project.

Today, this Apostle House is home to current owners Peggy and Neal Griffin and their three children. There are now only six Apostle Houses remaining in Garden City and each plot has been sub-divided to accommodate the influx of newcomers migrating from the city. The Griffin's house sits on three-quarters of an acre. When they tried to research the plans for their house, they discovered to their dismay that the record hall burned down in the early 1900s, so there is no original plan available for consultation.

"I would like to have seen the landscaping done in Stewart's time," Peggy said. "What was good 130 years ago doesn't suit a family of today's needs." The Griffins have worked to maintain the unique architectural features of the house. They have installed 44 newly crafted arched, square wooden windows to match the original windows. "Michael Chrobet was recommended to me," Peggy added, "and he was sensitive to the historical nature of the house."

Chrobet took into consideration the close proximity of the neighboring houses and the Griffins' need for space. To this end, he designed a plan that incorporated a lot of traditional plants, such as roses, yews, laurels, magnolias, flowering dogwoods and boxwood, while also realigning the entrance to the property.

"By creating a natural barrier of cherry laurels, the Griffins' home will be screened to give them more privacy," Chrobet said. An English rose-garden and a trellis with overhanging scented flowers will conjure the feeling of openness and allow the Griffins to escape into their backyard.

Just like an architect designs indoor rooms for comfort or functionality, a landscape architect creates outdoor rooms that instinctually make one feel serene, relaxed or safe. Landscape architects use a combination of "hardscape" and "softscape" to create these garden rooms. "Hardscape" refers to elements added to the natural environment, such as walkways, bollards, retaining walls, trellises, sculptures and fountains, while "softscape" refers to the natural elements such as plant materials and the soil itself. Natural elements like trees and plants are used as architectural elements. The Apostle House is a work in progress and will take several months to complete.

There is a trend that has emerged in the last five years, whereby people are taking a greater interest in their environment. As Michael Didyk, Parks general supervisor and arborist for 20 years in the village commented, "Five years ago a computerized inventory of Garden City showed that Garden City has in excess of 16,000 trees. This is quite amazing considering the village is five square miles."

Didyk says there's a growing demand for knowledge of trees and he believes that the new generation is more environmentally aware. Didyk recognizes the great contribution Chrobet has made to the village. "I know a lot of landscape architects, but Michael is unique. He has such an eye for historical detail. He will come across a house and tell me that it just needs a simple landscape, maybe ten different varieties of trees and shrubs and you know, he's right!"

Chrobet has worked on other projects of historical value in the village. He developed one of the larger parcels in Franklin Court for Doris and John Brunning. It's significant because in 1910, Stewart's inability to attract land buyers prompted the Garden City Corporation to sell 40 acres on Franklin Avenue to Doubleday, Page & Co. This was a rare invitation to industry from the planned community. Doubleday built Franklin Court for their bookbinding employees.

Since bookbinding was a traditional trade in England, Doubleday thought it would be more attractive to their employees if the community was built like a community in England. Doris, hailing from Germany, said this close-knit community feels European. "Everybody knows each other, we chat on the door-step or over the fence in the garden." The Brunnings have traveled in Europe and were inspired by some of the gardens they saw there. Doris felt that their quarter acre site with original stone walls would lend itself to a quaint European-style garden.

"When Michael presented his work, his approach was more European-like. The other plans we were presented with were more ordinary, like something you'd probably see in most gardens. Chrobet used the original stone walls to partition the front room from the back room. Then he placed large rhododendron bushes on the interior of the break in the wall, so our view was shielded from the back room.

"The result is unexpected," Chrobet said, "as you enter the back room another scene unfolds; this time it has a woodland feel." The plant selection is crucial to creating the texture and feel of each space. By using grass blocks in front of the garage, Chrobet was able to create the illusion of extra lawn. Grass blocks are used widely in France and Germany instead of asphalt. "Whether I'm in the house, outside, on the terrace ... somehow I'm always in the garden," Doris said.

Chrobet was also recommended to George and Christina Mamos, who had bought their Tudor home in 1990. This special Normandy-Tudor was designed in 1929 by Olive Tjaden, a pioneering architect who supervised the design of more than 400 homes from the 1920s to the 1940s in Garden City and Long Island. For many years she was the only woman member of The American Institute of Architects. Tjaden was considered the most prominent woman architect in the Northeast for more than two decades. In fact, the mayor of Garden City once suggested that the town be renamed "Tjaden City" in her honor.

With unique architectural features like stained-glass windows, an arched wooden front door, and a peacock window, the Mamos' knew that they needed a special landscape to complement their home.

"In my opinion, lots of landscape architects mish-mash the whole feeling and don't get the structure," George said, "but Michael is very talented, he incorporates the whole." Chrobet designed a parterre or knot-garden with foot-tall boxwood hedges intricately interwoven and in the center he placed a simple, stone birdbath. This garden sits alongside a small, stone garden shed and the peacock stained-glass window illuminates the scene. The feeling is country quaint. "You change yourself because of your surroundings," George said, adding that this is what Stewart, Kellum and Chrobet knew instinctually.

So Oct. 12, as Garden City celebrates Stewart's bicentennial, maybe residents will take a moment to think about the contributions of visionaries like Chrobet, who work to keep the past alive and improve the quality of life. An historic tour of Garden City, organized by John Ellis Kordes, professional photographer and village historian, on Saturday, Oct. 11, may be the first step to appreciating the historical value of this well-preserved village.