134 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



more neglected gardens that the architectural features of the six- 

 teenth century remain. Many of the older villas have been occupied 

 by foreigners, and foreign ideas, chiefly French and English, have 

 been introduced. The architectural garden, too, affords little 

 opportunity for elaborate floral display, and it has been ruthlessly 

 modified to overcome this limitation. 



Whenever we find elaborate garden decoration it follows French 

 ideals, the only difference being that the colors harmonize better 

 and the designs are more graceful in form than the French. 



The grounds of the Milan Exposition last year were profusely 

 planted with formal flower beds and borders, all of refined and 

 tasteful arrangement, but there was not a single example of the 

 old Italian style of planting. The Italian garden of the sixteenth 

 century is virtually a thing of the past. It is not built in Italy now 

 and in but rare instances are the old ones kept up. Expense of con- 

 struction and maintenance seems to stand in the way. There is 

 also a taste for more lavish floral display to which the arrangement 

 of the old garden is not adapted. 



We also find in the north of Italy occasional fine examples of 

 natural gardening. In these the most notable feature is the skill 

 with which the gardener uses water in his composition. In Ameri- 

 can gardens we have hardly used water — we use it in our parks — 

 why not in our gardens? 



The best examples of Italian gardens in this country are much 

 more floral than perhaps any in Italy. There the flowers are a 

 secondary consideration, here the garden exists for them. A 

 natural garden is a much better home for flowering plants than an 

 architectural one on the Italian plan; yet there are many features 

 of the Italian garden which may be profitably introduced here. It 

 will be prudent to say, however, that it should never be attempted 

 upon a small scale or where there is any thought of economy. It is 

 exjiensive to l)uild, expensive to plant, and the most expensive of all 

 gardens to maintain. Yet there are instances where a modified 

 Italian garden may he advantageously introduced. It maybe made 

 a suitable setting for an imposing residence, and its features may add 

 much to an architectural design. The present method of using 

 cement, where cut stone was formerly used, will reduce the cost of 

 construction. Almost any kind of stone may be closely imitated 



