We the Italians May 17, 2015 - 60 | Page 20

th th # 60 • MAY 17 , 2015 # 60 • MAY 17 , 2015 cious leveled farmland in con- off from the main axis, which trast to the steep slopes of the consists of a renaissance avenue. surrounding area. Very important was the intervention of the famous English landscape gardener Vita Sackville West, a friend of Gertrude Jekyll, whose precious botanical texts are still preserved in the private library of the Villa. Driven in part by some preexisting grounds, the gardens were set up following the aesthetic concepts of English architects and landscapers, skillfully organizing different spaces and paths that branch The Temple and the statue of Ceres mark the end of the Avenue and the entrance to the famous "Terrace of Infinity", which by its position has earned the designation of "The Gate of the Sun". From this point the view descends from the mou