HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION 



IKE all the Jccora-tive arts, that of ornaincntal gardening extended with civilisation 

 from East to West. The Ruuiaas obtained much of their knowlcd'^e of horti- 



o 



culture from the Greeks, who in tlieir turn had drawn their in-piration from 

 the Hgyptiaub and other Ea.-.tei-n aatiuus. 



Unfortunately, the knowledge we possess of Greek horticultnrc is some- 

 what recitricted ; but there can be little doubt that the Greek garden was strictly 

 utilitarian in character, and in all probability consisted of a simple enclosure, 

 with vegetable garden for herbs, leeks, ..Krc., a fruit garden, and a \-ine)-ard. The Greeks had but little 

 feeling for landscape beauty, neither do they appear to have taken much delight in the cultivation 

 of flowers, of which thc)- possessed but a small variety ; these were cultivated principall}- for religious 

 ceremonial and the making of festal garlands, for which purpose buth the \iulcl and rose M'ere nuiLh 



in rei:|uest. 



The word Jiorfns, we are told by Columella, was derived from thc Greek, and signified 

 a small enclosure where the necessar}' herbs and vegetables for family use were grown. W'lierc, 

 howc\'er, gardens were planted for the cultivation of flo^^■ers, and for the pleasure they gave to 

 their uuners, they appear to have been designed In a regular and synuuetrlcal way. Plato, writing 

 in thc fourth ccntur}- n.c, speaks of images and statues, sacred to certain nymphs and to Achelous, 

 ha\ing been erected In gardens. A \cry early form of garden decoration was the hcrm, the ori'^in 

 of which is to he found in the squaretl wooden post, usually tapered and diminishing downwards 



to facilitate its being driven into the ground. This was used in marking out the limits of land, 



and oftentimes car\'ed with the head of Hermes, the tutelary god of fields, and was thence kno-wn 

 as a hermes or herm.' We know, too, that In their gardens Creek philosophers were wont to 

 propound their doctrines to eager bands of pupils and disciples who flocked to hear their dis- 

 courses. Theophrastus (fourth ccntur)' B.C.), in his will, leaves his garden to the connuon cnjo\-- 

 ment of his friends, and pathetlcall}- asks that his remains be interred In the garden he Io\-ed so 

 well dming his lifetime. 



There is little to be gathered from ancient authors concerning thc vcr)- early Roman 

 gardens, and the Idea of a laid-out pleasure garden hardly existed in the early days of the 

 Republic, wlien all attention would be given rather to t!ie cultivation of the vegetables' necessary 

 for sustaining life than to the art _of horticulture; and, except in rare instances, It is Iiardly 



' I^itlii krm'nus, and thence al?;n ' tenninaV whence ierme in French. 



B 



