THE OLD GARDENS OF ITALY. 



449 



approached by two stone bridges and the margin is surrounded by a 

 balustrade of excellent design (fig. 96), relieved at intervals by graceful 

 openings, in which are placed large Koman pots with orange and lemon 

 trees, which fruit profusely. In the centre is a huge fountain with a fine 

 figure of Oceanus. 



A number of statues and smaller fountains of quaint designs are 

 placed round the margin of the lake, and in the water itself swimming 

 horses with their riders, beautifully sculptured in stone. 



The whole place forms one of the finest examples of Florentine 

 gardening of the sixteenth century. 



Fig. 98. — Terrace at Isola Bella. 



The wonderful garden of Isola Bella on Lake Maggiore is of later 

 date than the others, and in some ways is a grotesque imitation of the 

 earlier period, but it is yet a marvel of labour and skill. It appears to 

 have been a rocky, barren island, 16 acres in extent, until taken in hand 

 by Count Borromeo, who conceived the idea of converting it into a garden, 

 and he certainly, succeeded in producing some marvellous effects (fig. 97). 

 The whole island, excepting the area occupied by the villa, is laid out in 

 ten terraces, rising to a high parterre in the centre 100 ft. above water- 

 level. This is flanked at one side by a neat orange garden and a 

 somewhat grotesque theatre of Hercules. Many beautiful terraces and 

 stairways lead to the parterre ; this and the terrace walls are enriched 

 with a great variety of statuary, urns, and stone vases. (Fig. 98.) 



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