A myriad of gardens surrounded the villa, lined with stone walls. Maximus dismounted at the foot of a stone arch, entering a garden vivid with color. To his left, Liliana met him with a smile. “Good day, Maximus,” she called as she rose from a marble bench.
Dressed in a light-green stola reaching below her ankles, she had a red sash draped over her dress and pinned at the shoulder with a decorative fibula. Dazzling jewels in her delicate hair sparkled in the afternoon sun.
“Good day.” Maximus breathed in the swelling aroma of the flowers surrounding them. “This is a beautiful garden.”
“Yes, I love it so. Come with me.”
Passing through decorative arches and down flights of stairs, they walked on a stone path lined with violets, gladioli, and roses. Immaculate trees and shrubs, rushing fountains, and gorgeous ponds painted a delightful image for his eye. Liliana, led him through an archway into an inner court bordered by a stone wall. The floor had complex designs of colored stones. More shrubs in pristine condition and flowers of every color and shape grew in tidy beds. Across the court, a second arch mirrored the one they had entered.
“This is my favorite place,” said Liliana. “I come here often, just to think.” She stepped to an ornate bench. “I sit here and breathe in the aroma of the spring blossoms.”
She took a deep breath, Maximus following her example. The satisfying scent once again overwhelmed him. Crocuses, irises, and lilies surrounded them, a mighty cypress offering them shade.
As shown in this excerpt from Maximus: The Quest for Greatness, the garden of Rome’s wealthy class was horticulture at its finest. Influenced by Egyptian and Persian designs, and burrowing from Greek gardening, Roman gardens were immaculate wonders. They utilized stone arches, marble columns, terraced flowerbeds, meticulously pruned trees and shrubs, pools and fountains. Gardens would also include a shrine or alter to one of their many gods.
Sourced from water collected in the atrium, the fountains were both decorative and used to water the plants. The gardens abounded in a myriad of flowers and plants not only native to Italy, but complete with many exotic plants as well. Stone paths led through the natural beauty, often opening into grand courtyards, with floors composed of complex designs or mosaics.
For the wealthiest Patrician, these countryside gardens were designed purely to bring awe to their guests, and to create a relaxing atmosphere. They often designed buildings separate from their villas, perfect for their luxurious dinner parties. Surrounded by the beauty of the garden, guests could overlook the meticulous design of the garden, or admire the frescoes and wall hangings of plant life displayed in the dining area.
However, for poorer Romans, the garden was less of a showcase, and more of a practical garden. They grew herbs and vegetables among the flowers and trees, leaving the lavish designs to the wealthy.
Whether large or small, the gardens of Rome were architectural and horticultural wonders. Later empires mimicked the Roman garden, and many of the features have even survived to the present day. Gardeners and landscapers love the complex and beautiful designs the Romans perfected and popularized. Have you included any Roman features in your flower garden?