140 



THE HOUSE AND ITS EQUIPMENT. 



Tudor gardens there were already some features that recalled some of those of the pleasure grounds of 

 antiquity. For the maze was the direct descendant of the older labyrinth, and flower gardens were very 

 small and closely surrounded by clipped hedges of evergreens. The &quot; covert alleys,&quot; too, had their 

 ancient counterpart and the aviaries of singing birds. 



English architects travelled and studied in Italy and returned with minds widened and stored with 

 methods of taking advantage of the new freedom. Then it was that some of the greatest houses of the 

 English Renaissance arose Hardwick, \Yollaton, Longleat and with them the wide garden spaces and 

 an adaptation of the methods of the gardens of Italy. But there can be little doubt that the true Italian 

 garden cannot be rightly transplanted into our climate. It always remains exotic, and yet it so happens 

 that in the only portions of our islands where some illusion of Italian conditions might be gained, namely, 

 in the Isle of Wight and the southern coasts of Devon and Cornwall, it has scarcely been attempted. 

 Those who are acquainted with the gardens of Italy at first hand cannot help feeling this comparative 

 unsuitability. We have not the sky, or we have it only on but few days in the year ; we have not the 

 temperature ; above all, we have not the endless abundance of rushing water. 



The villas of antiquity and of the Italian Renaissance were almost invariably on hilly ground, 

 needing steep terracing in some place where there was an ample water supply. There are cases where 



there are whole rivers of water rushing 

 down long flights of steps, plunging 

 at intervals into pools or basins 

 and then flowing on in endless 

 variety of invention for garden 

 beneficence or garden delight. Cisterns 

 on high ground were so arranged as 

 to give ample pressure for fountain 

 jets. The wealth of invention, in 

 fountains alone, if described Irom 

 known examples, would fill a book. 

 Fountains in the open formed centres 

 of garden schemes in relation to the 

 parterre, and were commonly known 

 by the name of the deity whose 

 sculptured figure formed the central 

 ornament. On rising ground ;. 

 frequent form was the wall-fountain, 

 sometimes expanded into the still 

 more important &quot; theatre.&quot; Here, 

 in a space more or less semi-circular, 

 would be a colossal group of Tritons, 

 or a Neptune with attendants of 

 human shape, or water monsters, 

 and boldly-rusticated architectural 

 forms cunningly intergrouped with 

 masses of the living rock. Over or 

 through the rock, only partly tamed 

 by the guiding of the design, the 

 water would come thundering into 

 the great pool or basin, the sound 

 reverberating from the wing-walls 

 and gaining both in volume and 

 mystery. Then in another part of 

 the garden where steps descended 

 from the higher ground, little runnels 

 were often built in order that the 

 wayfarer might be accompanied on 

 either side by the sweet tinkling 

 and musical gurgle of the running 

 rills. Near a seat there was always, 

 as in the more ancient days, a 

 fountain for the enjoyment of the 

 pleasant, refreshing sound of falling 

 157. SUNDIAL AT CR1CHEL. water. In comparing the ornamental 



