82 
THE ART OF GARDEN DESIGN IN ITALY 
On the North side is a typical Italian ilex bosco, with moss-covered meandering pathways run¬ 
ning beneath glades of fir, beech, and ilex, with a central alley leading to a baroque fountain, 
cleverly planned with side stairways and oval pool, into which the water runs through a 
horse’s mouth, and keeps a huge sarcophagus, overgrown with maidenhair fern, always 
brimful of water. 
Behind the fountain is the reservoir, and a short alley leads to a statue by II Tribolo, men¬ 
tioned by Vasari, of a river god pouring water into a stone basin ornamented with lions’ heads. 
The statue and basin exist, but are no longer together. The garden formerly ended at this point, 
until when, some fifty years since, the circular riding space was laid out and planted with 
chestnut-trees. 
The courtyard on the garden side of the casino is bounded by a long ‘ stanzone,’ and a 
central ilex avenue leads to the stables beyond. On the south side of the casino is the square 
parterre garden illustrated on Plate 45, with its little circular pool and water-jet spurting merrily, 
amid the surroundings of numerous earthenware pots, each containing its orange or lemon tree. 
The view from the casino is extensive, though it cannot compare with either of the larger villas 
of Castello or Petraja, being somewhat more low-lying. The present owner, Prince Corsini, is 
fully aware of the old-world charm of his country villa, and it is gratifying to feel that there is 
but little chance of the landscape garden ever taking its place here. 
