House & Garden 
climb, even to the roof line. On the main 
axis of the avenue, and directly opposite the 
entrance to the square garden, is a somewhat 
larger house of the same construction. Save 
for the window spaces, its walls are a mass of 
wistaria, whose delicate lavender clusters 
hang luxuriantly from under the cornice. 
No doubt this house served as a small 
casino, a retreat from the heat of the sun or 
a sudden shower for the royal wanderers 
among the flowers. Before its door is a 
small paved fore-court, lying one step below 
the level of the garden, surrounded shoulder 
high by hedges and entered through wooden 
gates. 
Perhaps the most original part of this 
lay-out is found just behind the casino. 
H ere we have again reached the river in our 
wandering. A small embarking place leads 
up from the shore; and on both sides of 
it, reached by a few broad steps, are low 
coped terraces. These are paved with large 
flagstones, the wall toward the river rising 
waist high, of brick, battlemented in stone, 
while two octagonal stone pavilions, dainty 
in design, afford vantage ground for views up 
and down the winding stream. Toward the 
garden the terrace walls are banked with a 
perfect sea of rose bushes. Beyond, in much 
the same way that one enjoys the view of a 
sunken garden, we glance from our slightly 
elevated terrace, through the trellised arches, 
upon the brilliant flower-bed. The sur¬ 
rounding green of the woods, the garden a 
sunny blaze of color in the foreground, the 
ripple of the river below us, together with 
the glory of the May day, combine to make 
a perfect not-to-be-forgotten picture. 
Up the stream stretch long winding 
avenues, cutting through the woods,—ave¬ 
nues that lead in and out, now bordering; on 
the river bank, now piercing far back into the 
heart of what seems to be a boundless wooded 
park. Here, too, are attractive statues, well 
placed at the end of each vista ; and each 
succeeding turn reveals moss-covered foun¬ 
tains, deep in the enclosure of the woods, 
which reflect in their dark bosoms the green 
foliage overhead. Here reigns a solitude 
emphasized by the life and gaiety which we 
have so recently seen amongst the flowers. 
Wandering thus pleasantly about, finding 
SUMMER-HOUSES ON THE RIVER 
GARDEN OF THE PRINCE, 
ARANJUEZ 
539 
