fountain. Each of these quarters consists of a rectangular pool encircled 

 by a flower border, and the garden ends with a semicircular pool within 

 a curving arcade of roses and greenery. The scheme of this parterre is 

 good, but the brand-new stonework gives it an unpleasingly cold look 

 that only age can take away. Nevertheless the tall flowers and their 

 dark background of trees, and the old cypress hedge with a statue peeping 

 out here and there, reflected in the dark still waters, have a charm all 

 their own. It would be interesting to know in what way this part ot 

 the garden was laid out originally, but on this point Zocchi, who devotes 

 three prints to the villa, gives us no assistance. 



The special feature, however, of the villa is a most exquisite little 

 oblong garden-court, entered by a gateway in the retaining wall at the 

 rear of the casino. This is about seventy feet in length by sixteen in 

 width, and terminates in a semicircle, with three niches for statues 

 surrounding a fountain basin, above which is suspended a great two- 

 handled urn. From the middle of each of the longer sides a double 

 staircase leads upwards, to the bosco on the one hand and the giardino 

 segreto on the other. These stairways have balustrades, and salient points 

 are surmounted by charming statues and busts, obelisks and vases, each 

 stairway making several pauses before it finally reaches the top. The 

 arrangement of this court and of the stairways is quite unique, and it is 

 a thousand pities that the name of the architect cannot be rescued from 

 oblivion. The detail throughout points to a date early in the seventeenth 

 century. 



Yet one more unspoiled garden must be mentioned before we leave 

 the immediate neighbourhood of Florence. This is a httle villa not very 

 far distant, which faces towards the north and is perched high above a 

 narrow valley, where, thanks to the amphitheatre of hills behind it, the 

 sun sets early : a place well suited for the long hot summer days. A 

 single terrace carries villa and farmstead, with the podere stretching above 

 and below. The casino divides this terrace unequally, and has ori one 

 side a loggia looking on to a well-shaded garden-court, and on the other a 

 similar loggia which opens on to the little flower-garden. 



The garden is divided into many small plots, easily accessible, and full 

 of bright simple flowers which, thanks to the northerly aspect, last well 



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