VILLA D^ESTE, CERNOBBIO, AND VILLAS ON LAKE COMO. 359 
377. — BALBIANELLO ON THE COMO SIDE. 
37 S. — THE BALUSTRADED PLATEAU AT BALBIANELLO. 
The rise to the house 
is sharp, and provides 
three levels, with double 
ascending stairways. 
Preceding the first 
terrace is an oval with a 
basin o f water, d^his 
is cut out in a thick 
bocage of laurel, which 
provides a fine basis for 
the whole lay-out. The 
prolongation of the 
upper terraces parallel 
to the lake alTords some 
good walks, where the 
air is heavy with the 
p e r f u m e s of azalea 
bushes and c a m p h o r 
trees. At right angles 
a ravine, planted with 
dwarf tree ferns f r o m 
Australia, forms an 
attractive feature. A rock 
garden of cacti displays 
all the weird forms of 
these strange plants, and 
the pink saxifrage pro- 
vides masses of ground 
colour. 
