Gardens of the Villa Gamberaia 
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A GUARDIAN OF THE ROCK-WALLED COURT 
ing-green. Former owners had incorporated 
this strip of ground into the podere , although 
the magnificent cypress hedge that separates 
it from the farm land proper, speaks elo¬ 
quently of a time farther back still, when it 
was a garden. 
This modern garden is both dainty and 
beautiful and very original. A circular foun¬ 
tain forms the center of the design. A 
gravel path runs round it and then branches 
out into a cross, dividing the four oblong 
stone basins and ending at the extremity 
farthest from the house on the margin 
of yet another basin, this being semi¬ 
circular in shape. A very nymph’s bath, 
to the waters of which, first turf, then 
marble steps lead down! Beyond these 
again is a grass-covered terrace, shaded by 
a hedge of shrubs and a row of young 
cypresses. Flower-beds edge the stone rim 
of the pools, narrow beds in which grow 
small bushes of oleander and standard roses. 
Daisies, forget-me-nots, irises, tulips, as¬ 
ters and dahlias bloom in turn as the sea¬ 
sons vary ; but be it spring, summer or 
autumn, the effect is equally beautiful, that 
of bright color reflected in calm, clear water. 
Along the two inner edges of the lower 
THE ENTRANCE TO THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY COURT 
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