CHAPTER IV. 



THE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE. 



The evident liarmony of arrangement between the lionse 

 and surrounding hmdscape is what first strikes one in Ital- 

 ian landscape architecture,— 1 lie desi<;ii as a whole, including 

 gardens, terraces, groves, and their necessary siu-roundiugs 

 and embellislinients, it being clear that no one of these com- 

 ponent parts was ever considered independently, the archi- 

 tect of the house being also the architect of the garden and 

 the rest of tlie villa. Charles A. Piatt. 



A number of terms, all equally clear and useful, 

 have been used for this well-defined style of gardening. 

 We need to notice three, — architectural, geometrical 

 and Italian. Of these the first is best for onr purposes, 

 especially if architecture is understood in the broadest 

 sense to include all the exterior accessories of buildings, 

 to whicli the work of the architect may rightfully extend. 

 Columns, obelisks, arches, fountains, statues and groups 

 of statuary, and all similar structures whatsoever, are in 

 this sense included within the common range of archi- 

 tecture and architectural gai'dening. Indeed, the earli- 

 est and some of the best examples of this style which we 

 have were planned and executed by professional archi- 

 tects, — men who did not claim to be gardeners at all. 

 The term '^ geometrical" has its obvious signification. 

 It is perfectly legitimate, and in many places highly 

 serviceable. This method is also widely and properly 

 known as the Italian style, having received its best devel- 

 opment in Italy. 



The architectural style is diametrically opposed at 

 all points to the extreme natural style. It is opposite in 

 methods and in effects ; though this is no reason why a 

 person of artistic taste may not find full satisfaction in 



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