ANCIENT GARDENS IN EUROPE 



garden pavilions, which were by no means the ephemeral constructions 

 of the Egyptians and Greeks. The finest sculpture was employed in the 

 statues of philosophers, athletes, gods and goddesses, satyrs, muses, cen- 

 taurs and animals, and in the decoration of vases. In fact, much of the 

 best ancient sculpture adorned these sumptuous gardens of the age when 

 Imperial Rome was in her glory. 



Conservatories and hot-houses for the protection of the more tender 

 plants are mentioned as early as the first century, though we do not know 

 the technical name by which they were designated. Some of the references 

 in ancient authors may refer to mere frames, but others are more explicit 

 and indicate that substantial buildings were erected to shelter plants in 

 winter ; otherwise some of 

 the more tender plants im- 

 ported from the East could 

 hardly have acclimatized 

 themselves. As the taste 

 for exotic plants came more 

 into vogue the necessity 

 arose for more elaborate 

 buildings. They were en- 

 closed with specularia or 

 windows of talc and heated 

 by means of lines. In the 

 Villa of Maecenas at Rome, 

 a building was excavated in 

 1874 which is supposed to have been such a conservatory ; it had masonry 

 tiers for displaying the plants and was heated. Martial once sarcastically 

 wrote that " he wished he were his friend's apple tree, rather than his guest, 

 for it was protected from the cold by glass or talc, whilst his bedroom had 

 none." 



The principal features of the villas which have been described were 

 to be found upon a grander scale in all the great imperial palaces ; the most 

 stupendous of these being Hadrian's villa, the ruins of which still exist. It 

 was begun about twelve years before Hadrian gave up the administration of 

 public affairs, and occupied an area of about 160 acres. The gardens were 

 mostly confined to courtyards and terraces commanding glorious views over 



HOUSE OF SALLUST, POMPEII. 



