farmer. Its peculiarities are due to the fact that the 

 gardens and plantations in relation to the house do 

 not cover a width of more than four hundred feet, 

 being in the centre of a large farm, and allowing the 

 land for farm cultivation to come almost within a 

 stone's-throw of the house itself without being visible, 

 or to any extent interfering with the effect of the gar- 

 dens. The whole plan is in a direct straight line, so 

 that upon entering the gate at the road one can look 

 along the path and under the arched doorway of the 

 house directly to the architectural feature which termi- 

 nates the villa grounds. The flower-garden is on the 

 side of the house away from the road, and at either 

 side of a path which leads from the house to a circu- 

 lar terrace ; this terrace contains fountains, and over- 

 looks the valley which intervenes between it and 

 smaller terraces on the other side. At the lowest 

 point in this small valley is a fountain, and steps rise 

 from this point in both directions, these steps being 

 flanked by high hedges. At right angles with the 

 first circular terrace are two ilex walks which form a 

 screen for the uninteresting fields and tilled land which 

 otherwise would be visible from the house, and this 

 is also repeated on the street side, save that here the 

 ilex-trees are planted radiating from the front door 



112 



