XVIII 



LA MORTOLA 237 



by E. B. Browning as '* the mystic floating grey"), 

 contrasting with the yellow oranges and lemons, to 

 the wonderfully picturesque old towns, and villages, 

 and churches, returning to the exquisite sunsets 

 over the sea, visible at this time of year from the 

 same balcony as the rising. Then in the evening 

 there was sometimes conversation with friends 

 and acquaintances in the hotel, sometimes music, 

 but generally reading by the little wood fire in our 

 own rooms, which gave much quiet enjoyment. 

 Yet his last happy day was approaching, the last 

 one entirely free from pain. It was the 14th of 

 March that we drove to Ventimiglia to carry out 

 his long-desired wish of visiting Sir Thomas and 

 Lady Hanbury in their world -famed garden "La 

 Mortola." Everything was as beautiful as could 

 possibly be, the weather perfect, the magnificently 

 cultivated garden, backed by wild olive-clad hills, 

 with fine ranges of mountains beyond, whilst 

 promontories running out into the Mediterranean on 

 either side of the garden added to the interest of the 

 scene, and the brilliant sun shining on the exquisitely 

 picturesque boats and sails, and brought out 

 opalescent colours in the waves which fell with 

 soothing sound on the beach below where we stood. 

 Still it is the garden itself which is unique ; in that 

 climate where everything can grow, the owner yet 

 employs thirty-five gardeners to have perfection, and 

 above all, being himself an enthusiastic botanist and 

 horticulturist, he has made this spot of earth more 



