ANCIENT GARDENS IN EUROPE 7 



Pliny's descriptions only as the exigencies of the situation demanded. Their 

 sites were invariably well chosen, especially with regard to the season of 

 the year during which they were to be occupied. A hillside has always 

 been the most attractive situation to the Italians for their villas, and apart 

 from its healthiness, it affords great opportunities for garden display in the 

 construction of terrace walks and in the arrangement and distribution of 

 water. On the other hand, a level site affords greater opportunities for 

 extensive display. The villa rustica was a smaller type of country house, 

 more of the nature of a pleasure farm. 



The whole of the Campagna round Rome was studded with such villas, 

 arranged in zones or districts according to their size. The Roman love 

 of the country during autumn still survives in the annual villeggiatura, which 

 is so essential a feature in the life of a modern Italian. 



In the neighbourhood of Rome the favourite situations for country 

 villas were upon the slopes of the Sabine and Alban mountains, at Tibur 

 (the modern Tivoli), Laurentium, Sublaqueum (Subiaco), where Nero 

 had a large villa, Antium, upon the sea coast, Centumcellae (Civita Vecchia), 

 and Praeneste. The last named was a very famous summer resort under 

 the Emperors on account of its bracing climate, and together with Tibur 

 and Baiae is much extolled by Horace. Pliny describes the roses of Praeneste 

 as being the finest in Italy, and they were grown in enormous quantities 

 for the Roman market. Another favourite district for villas was along the 

 shore of the Bay of Naples, especially Baiae, where Nero, Pompey and Csesar 

 all had sumptuous villas. Here all restraint was thrown off and life entirely 

 given up to pleasure and luxury. 



The larger country villas and their farms often covered an area of several 

 hundred acres. The house itself being taken as the key to the situation, 

 the courts round it were arranged to conform to its architecture. The various 

 courts and loggie merged into the atrium, which was usually enclosed by a 

 colonnade adorned with statuary. The principal parts of the garden 

 plan were separated from each other by thick hedges or shady pergolas. 

 The most important feature was the hippodrome, a place devoted 

 to running and equestrian exercise, divided longitudinally by hedges 

 of box ornamented with topiary work. The Hippodrome survived even 

 to the days of the Renaissance, and an excellent example may still be seen 

 in the gardens of the Villa Borghese at Rome. Next in importance was 



