The Garden Magazine, June, 1922 



259 



the seeds or bulbs were sometimes stained by dark wine in the 

 attempt to produce a purple flower. The purpleViolet grew wild, 

 while the yellow was mostly cultivated. Other flowers which 

 he mentions are Narcissus, Phlox, Anemone, Gladiolus, Ama- 

 ranth, Hyacinth, Iris, Lavender, Daisy, Crocus, and Bluebell. 

 The principal fruit trees were the Olive, Quince, Peach, Plum, 

 Pomegranate, Apple, Pear, Fig, and Mulberry. 



The palace of Livia, near Rome, has four important wall 

 paintings which are arranged around a hall in such a way as to 

 imitate views into gardens. Here we see the use of a low bal- 

 ustrade, fountains, and even bird-cages. Among the trees 

 represented are the Oak, Pomegranate, Quince, Cypress, and 

 Laurel. The flowers included probably Violets, Roses, Camo- 

 miles, and Iris. The profusion of trees and flowers pictured 

 proves that the Roman garden was in some parts at least 

 highly luxuriant, and not at all confined to a strictly formal 

 symmetry. 



Other important illustrations of the Roman formal garden 

 appear in the wall paintings of Pompeii and Herculaneum. In 

 one case the walls of a small court garden are painted with 

 landscapes as if to magnify the view. 



A very essential Italian tree was the Plane, the magnificent 

 shade of which was so greatly appreciated by Roman connois- 

 seurs that they watered the tree with wine. 



The most complete description of an ancient Roman 

 garden is in a letter of Pliny the Younger, in the first part of 

 the second century A. D., who writes about his garden as 

 follows: 



" It is set around with Plane-trees covered with Ivy, so that, 

 while their tops flourish with their own green, toward the roots 

 verdure is borrowed from the Ivy that twines around the trunk 

 and branches, spreads from tree to tree, and connects them to- 

 gether. Between each two Plane-trees are planted Box-trees, 

 and behind these stands a grove of Laurels which blend their 

 shade with that of the Planes. This straight boundary to the 

 hippodrome alters its shape at the farthest end, bending into a 

 semi-circle, which is planted round, shut in with Cypresses, 

 and casts a deeper and gloomier shade, while the inner circular 



walks (for there are several) enjoying an open exposure, are 

 filled with plenty of Roses, and correct, by a very pleasant con- 

 trast, the coolness of the shade with the warmth of the sun." 



The artificial pruning of Box was here carried to the limit: 

 " Having passed through these several winding alleys, you enter 

 a straight walk, which breaks out into a variety of others, 

 partitioned off by Box-row hedges. In one place you have a 

 little meadow, in another the Box is cut in a thousand different 

 forms, sometimes into letters, expressing the master's name, 

 sometimes the artificer's, whilst here and there rise little obe- 

 lisks with fruit trees alternately intermixed, and then on a 

 sudden, in the midst of this elegant regularity, you are sur- 

 prised with an imitation of the negligent beauties of rural 

 nature. In the centre of this lies a spot adorned with a knot of 

 dwarf Plane-trees. Beyond there stands an Acacia, smooth 

 and bending in places, then again various other shapes and 

 names." 



The architectural features of the garden, which had great 

 influence in the Renaissance, were described by Pliny as fol- 

 lows: "At the upper end is an alcove of white marble, shaded 

 with vines, and supported by four small Carystian columns. 

 From this semicircular couch, the water, gushing up through 

 several little pipes, as though pressed out by the weight of the 

 persons who recline themselves upon it, falls into a stone cis- 

 tern underneath, whence it is received into a fine polished 

 marble basin, so skilfully contrived that it is always full with- 

 out ever overflowing. When I sup here, this basin serves as a 

 table, the larger sort of dishes being placed around the margin, 

 while the smaller ones swim about in the form of vessels and 

 water-fowl. Opposite this is a fountain which is incessantly 

 emptying and filling, for the water which it throws up to a 

 great height, falling back again into it, is by means of consecu- 

 tive apertures returned as fast as it is received. Facing the 

 above (and reflecting upon it as great an ornament as it borrows 

 from it) stands a summer-house of exquisite marble, the doors of 

 which project and open into a green enclosure, while from its 

 upper and lower windows the eye falls upon a variety of dif- 

 ferent greens." 



In the four articles which have comprised this Pictorial History of Gardening in Ancient Times Mr. Manchester 



has contributed a fascinating and instructive story, which has met the approval of bibliographers and other students. 



A similar survey of the Garden in Mediaeval Times will follow shortly. 



VIEW OF A VILLA AND PLEASURE GARDEN FROM A WALL PAINTING AT POMPEII 



