GARDENS OF MANY KINDS 5 



national style rather than the plants grown, the 

 Italian is the acme of formality; nothing is un- 

 ordered. It is the Renaissance perfection of the 

 ancient Roman idea of a garden that not only 

 was symmetry itself but was a part of a larger 

 scheme of symmetry as represented by the villa 

 using the word in its old sense of an estate rather 

 than merely a house. The elaborate design bears 

 a distinct relation to the house, yet is quite com- 

 plete in itself. There are terraces which may 

 be of monumental proportions if the opportunity 

 presents itself and much topiary work, ornamen- 

 tal stone and statuary. Pools and running water 

 also figure prominently in it. 



A garden sufficiently Italian to be so called is 

 perfectly feasible on a small place, if it conforms 

 to the architecture of the house and there is a 

 sufficient slope to permit of three terraces. Mod- 

 ification may be quite extreme. Flower beds of 

 set design and neatly edged, with gravel walks, 

 are more important to the plan than lawn spaces. 

 Trees should close it in on three sides, that iso- 

 lation may bring out its individuality. Clipped 

 hedges may be made to take the place of stone 

 balustrades. The red cedar is a fair substitute for 

 cypress, while very good reproductions of antique 

 garden furnishings are comparatively inexpensive. 

 With these two materials, in fact, a short path 

 could be converted into what it would be permis- 

 sible in the intimacy of home to name an Italian 

 garden. 



