ITALIAN VILLA GARDENS 



247 



in box and filled in with many-coloured pebbles and 

 coal-, slate-, or granite-dust ; the idea is the same as that 

 of the Villa Albani near Rome. The archway connect- 

 ing this with an adjoin- 

 ing garden is shown in 

 the illustration. 



Near the house are 

 several parterres orna- 

 mented with fountains 

 and well accented by 

 cone-shaped yews, laurels, 

 and bay trees. Compact 

 yew hedges mark the 

 subdivisions, and the outer enclosure is framed by 



a curious balustrading in 

 which letters, taking the 

 place of the ordinary balus- 

 ters, spell out biblical texts. 

 This scheme is attractive 

 more from a sentimental 

 than an architectural point 

 of view. The rosary is very 

 prettily arranged ; in the 

 centre is a rustic summer- 

 house, and a simple, rose-covered arbour, ornamented 

 at intervals with statuary, surrounds the outside. 

 The grounds around Longford Castle are, for some 



STATUARY AT LONGFORD CASTLE 



