GARDENS OF VARIOUS NATIONS. 581 



regularly watering the one he had made, and of protecting it from 

 the burning rays of the sun by a cloth stretched over the whole 

 of it, yet in the autumn, when I saw it, it presented a very brown 

 instead of a fresh green appearance. 



Flowers are very highly prized in Italy, and many are the 

 gardens that are especially kept for the growth of them for sale. 

 The most astonishing of these are, to a native of a northern clime, the 

 camellia gardens. In them I have seen, at Florence, large trees many 

 feet high growing in the open air and laden with a profusion of 

 blossom. There are also numberless gardens, some in the north 

 but more in the south of Italy, wherein oranges and citrons are 

 grown. 



Fain would I yield to the temptation of minutely describing 

 all the beautiful villas and gardens that abound in that glorious 

 clime, but from want of space my remarks must be confined to a 

 few only, commencing with Florence, as there perhaps more than 

 in any other part, are situated those of the most repute. There, 

 adjoining the Pitti Palace, is the Boboli garden that was planned in 

 the sixteenth century, in the time of Cosimo I. It is in the Italian 

 style, and has terraces which extend up the slope of a hill which 

 rises immediately at the back of the palace. In other parts of the 

 garden are interspersed basins of water, vases, and arbours, and very 

 fine sculpture the productions of Michael Angelo, Tacca, Giovanni, 

 Bologna, and of other eminent men. The Boboli is said to have been 

 a favourite place of resort of Michael Angelo, who was wont to come 

 hither to enjoy the beauty of the scene, and ponder on the great 

 works he contemplated in achieving. To the Cascine the Hyde 

 Park of Florence a passing word must be given, as it is beautifully 

 situated beside the Arno ; here, amongst parterres of flowers and 

 long alleys of trees, may be daily seen th^ cream of Florentine 

 society. 



The celebrated meetings of the Platonic academy instituted by 

 Lorenzo the Magnificent were held at the beautiful villa Careggi. 

 It was much frequented by the greatest of the Medici family, and 



