8 
THE GARDENS OF ITALY. 
is too high for the 
descendants of the 
constructive Ro- 
mans. 
Such lofty 
plateaux, raised 
high on the hill 
slope, give a valu- 
able absence of 
foreground, and 
concentrate the in- 
terest on a com- 
manding prospect. 
There is a sense of 
seclusion combined 
with unlimited out- 
look. The hedge in 
Italy is mostlv re- 
g. — LOGGIA OR CAMERA ALFRESCA. placed by the wall, 
endlessly different 
in construction, ranging from rough dry stone, or rubble, mortared and brick banded, to crude 
concrete plastered and finished with a coping of tiles. The hillside roads of Italy, climbing 
between such walls, topped with cypress and olive, are as fully characteristic as a Devonshire 
lane. The square-cut yew plays an important part enforcing the lines of balustrades and 
serves as a background to statues, w'hile the dense and shapely tunnel-way of living 
greenery is not unknown. The pleached alley, though less common than the pergola, is fully as 
effective. 
Fortunately, the great value of the land in Italy for olive and vineyard, like that of Kent for 
orchards and hopfields, tends to restrict their villa gardens to moderate dimensions. Italy 
generally is free from the reproach that attaches to French gardening, that the lay-out is too vast 
for human enjoy- 
ment. There is no 
absurdity so great 
as that of extending 
the garden as 
though to the limit 
of the horizon 
itself. In trans- 
lating the ideas of 
Italy to other lands 
the worst mistakes 
have been those of 
scale. Things 
delightful in them- 
selves have, by 
exaggeration and 
wearisome repeti- 
tion, well-nigh lost 
their native charm. 
In England the 
Italian, French, 
Dutch and Oriental 
Schools have all 
10. — WAYSIDE CHAPEL OR FOUNTAIN. had their admirers 
