the north and to the fresh mountain breezes that blow down the 

 valley. 



A long and somewhat narrow terrace stretches away from this loggia, 

 while close at hand is a fountain-basin, its slender jet giving life and 

 music to the garden. Around this, grateful for the moisture and half- 

 shade, are grouped pots of many-coloured flowers ; Paris daisies and 

 fuchsias, carnations, lilies, and azaleas being as usual the favourites. At 

 the farther end of the garden, among beds of roses, is another fountain, 

 or more strictly speaking peschiera, in which are innumerable gold-fish. 

 To the left, the terrace-wall is supported, for more than half its length, 

 upon a series of arches, making a cool grotto in which, among fountains 

 and runlets of water, maidenhair fern and other moisture-loving things 

 flourish, 



A flight of steps, built within the thickness of the wall, leads to the 

 higher terrace, formerly the parterre but now laid out with grass, over 

 which are scattered a few beds of flowers too suggestive of carpet-bedding 

 to be specially interesting. The box-bordering, taken away some years 

 since, of which traces still remain round the walls, might with great 

 benefit to the garden be restored. It is curious what a prejudice gar- 

 deners have against box, yet no other edging is one-half so beautiful in 

 itself, or shows up the flowers to greater advantage. 



All round this garden, upon the low wall, at frequent intervals, are 

 turned bases for flower-pots. They are of unusual design and peculiar to 

 this villa, taking the form of squat balusters, about sixteen inches high 

 and twelve in width. 



A broad walk, from which the piano nobile of the casino can be entered 

 on the level, runs the whole length of the garden terraces, some hundred 

 and seventy paces long. At one end of this you look down over a balus- 

 trade into a sunk garden, with its display of flowers and fountains. The 

 other end terminates beneath an archway in the great ilex hedge, where, 

 from stone benches set within a balustraded balcony, you have a delightful 

 view over a wooded slope to the distant mountains, which, even in June, 

 still retain their snowy caps. 



Beside the long walk, the retaining wall of the terrace above is 

 screened by a magnificent laurel hedge. At intervals in this are deep 



148 



