GARDENS OF FLORENTINE HUMANISTS 



ments of its inhabitants. It was in the age of the 

 Medici, when Pandolfini lived and Alberti wrote, that 

 garden-design became a fine art and individual culture 

 and character found expression in the creation of the 

 countless pleasure-houses that are scattered over the 

 Tuscan hills. In 1417 Cosimo de' Medici bought the 

 estate of Careggi, two miles north-west of the city, and 

 employed Michelozzo to design the house and grounds 

 " a thing," says Vasari, " truly rich and magnificent," 

 as well as to bring water for the fountain that may still 

 be seen in the garden. This villa, with the covered 

 galleries under the roof and the frescoed loggia, 

 looking over the ilex-woods towards the sunset, re- 

 mained the favourite home of the Medici during three 

 generations, and was enlarged and beautified by each 

 successive owner. Here Cosimo Pater Patriae dined 

 on the memorable day when he returned to Florence 

 in triumph, bringing with him the faithful architect 

 who had shared his exile. In this villa, which he 

 called the place on earth nearest to heaven, he spent 

 the happiest hours of his life, studying Plato and 

 discussing philosophy with Marsilio Ficino, for whom 

 he built the villa of " La Fontanella," close by. 



" Yesterday^! arrived at Careggi," he wrote to Ficino, 



" not so much with the object of improving my gardens 



as myself. Let me see you, Marsilio, as soon as 



possible, and do not forget to bring with you the book 



II 



