VILLA GARDENS EAST OF FUNCHAL 55 



plaster, as was no doubt intended originally. Pos- 

 sibly the death of the original owner caused the 

 property to change hands, and fall into the posses- 

 sion of one who had no sympathy with costly 

 garden architecture. The garden has lost much 

 of its Italian characteristics, as, though not men- 

 tioned in the above description, the lower garden 

 was formerly planted entirely with orange-trees, 

 and four large cypresses stood like sentinels near 

 the fountain. Disease killed the orange-trees, as, 

 indeed, it has killed almost all the orange-trees in 

 the island, and the cypresses are also gone, so the 

 garden is now entirely a flower-garden. On the 

 upper terrace the trunk still remains of the chest- 

 nut-tree mentioned in the above description ; it 

 must have been of gigantic proportions, as the 

 trunk measures many yards in girth. It now 

 supports a single Banksia rose-tree, which is 

 wreathed with its little white starry blossoms in 

 early spring. The chestnut-tree has been replaced 

 by a Magnolia grandiftora, which has grown into 

 an immense tree, and is now probably one of the 

 largest in the island. In June, when its large 

 leathery white blossoms expand, it fills the air, 

 especially near sundown, with its almost over- 

 powering fragrance. 



