Ancient Roman Gardens

Linda Farrar has produced a gem. This book shows with care, sensitivity and scholarly love what made a Roman garden. She discusses the plants found in the garden but also writes with great skill how the Romans situated statues in the garden. Cicero, a famous Roman politician and writer, mentions in one of his letters how beautifully vines draped over the arms of statues in his brother's garden. Statues were not just placed in the garden but immersed in it; these lived in it. Often pools were designed to reflect the image of a nearby statue and its attendant plants. She also discusses other art work found in Roman gardens. In her efforts to give a feel for the garden she discusses its use: for discussion, parties, meals, play, family work. She discusses what these plants and statues meant to Romans. It was in this book that I learned how much Romans loved nature and how religious they were and how much they were devoted to the beauty of nature around them. Plants provided food, interest and drew in large numbers of birds, bees and butterflies. Roman gardens truly hummed. Linda Farrar's love of the Romans and their gardens flourishes on every page. Any one intending to visit Italy or Pompeii would profit from reading this book. At the end of her book she has excellent suggestions for creating one's own Roman garden.

A great addition to one's gardening library. A very interesting history of the early Romans and how important a role their gardens played in their society.

Perfect condition & wonderful book. Definitely recommend

My interest in ancient Roman gardens was sparked by a class I took on ancient Rome. This book was VERY well researched and organized, and offers incredible details about every aspect of the gardens. I highly recommend it!

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Farrar has written an insightful analysis of ancient Roman gardens, including their origin, their meaning to the Romans, how they developed through time, and the criteria that made a garden a Roman one. She also provides instructions at the end of the book on how to construct a modern Roman garden.Romans loved nature from the earliest eras for which we have evidence; however, they generally felt that humans could and should improve on nature; thus, an emphasis on creating and styling gardens. Roman gardens were not an outgrowth of Etruscan or Greek gardens. They differed significantly from both. From the beginning, Roman gardens concentrated on nature, i.e., plants and animals, whereas, Greek "gardens" were usually paved and had few plants. The earliest gardens had a mostly practical purpose, i.e., supply food for the family, but also had an aesthetic purpose. Therefore, there was a heavy concentration of vegetables and herbs. Chickens and perhaps other animals could also be a part of the garden (fenced away from the plants).As the Roman Republic grew and became more centralized in cities, gardens also transformed. Where finances and space allowed, gardens became more complex and larger. Yet even those who had limited space, would reserve a small area for a garden. The movement toward larger and larger gardens continued into the Empire. Gardens came to include statues, frescos, columns, walls, fountains, fish ponds, aviaries, and more. The aesthetic value of gardens to the Romans is clearly shown in the huge, magnificent gardens built by the wealthiest Romans and gifted to the people.Farrar thoroughly elucidates the evolution of Roman gardens, the purpose of each item or aspect of gardens, the plants and animals found in gardens, and how the gardens reflected their owners' wealth, power, and aesthetic appreciation of nature and art.This book is a must read for those interested in ancient Roman history, history of horticulture, and ancient plants. Farrar's book adds to our knowledge of the ancient Romans and helps us to understand them as a people. Gardens were such a big part of a Roman's life that to ignore them seriously limits our ability to understand this culture that still affects the modern western world.

It is amazing how the Roman way of life influences our life today. Their gardens were no exception. I definitely enjoyed this book and learned a lot. I definitely want to incorporate some of their designs in my own garden.

A fascinating insight :)