Rome

here are no data concerning the art of gardening from the pre-republic period in Rome. Culture during the epoch of the Roman republic was still relatively poor because it rested mainly upon the old local Etruscan traditions. 

As the Empire was established, slavery extended much further than just keeping a slave at home as a servant. The slaves worked for free in virtually every branch of production which resulted in enormous benefits for their owners. This fortune was often spent on grandiose architectural, engineering or garden constructions. As another consequence, the expansion led to the spreading and developing of the Roman culture far beyond the Mediterranean coast. 

Roman masters used the accomplishments of classic Greece not only in the fields of architecture and sculpture, but also in the principles of garden building. However, the conditions of the social life at that time diverted the course of development in a different direction. Around the 1st century BC, the end of the republic started a mass-scale construction of villas surrounded by parks. Of course, this was on behalf of wealthy citizens who wanted to escape from the stuffy, crowded and noisy capital. There were different types of villas: villa urbana – an urban villa or entertainment palace, situated close to the city; villa suburbana – a country villa; villa rustica – an agricultural villa; villa fructuaria - a villa with orchards and vineyards. 

The villa of Plinius Jr. in Tosco is regarded one of the most typical examples of the achievements and innovations in Roman horticulture and architecture. It was created for no agricultural purpose which can be easily concluded from the abundance of decorative structures such as flower parterres, fountains, marble statues of Greek and Roman gods, temples, sanctuaries, arcades, caves, a maze and other works of topiary. 

Most of the Roman villas were formed around an inner court with colonnades decorated with plants and a fountain. One of the yards, planted with evergreen species, served for night feasts. Decorative gardens for walks were situated right next to the villa. Alleys, lined with trimmed trees and shrubs, passed through lawns and flowerbeds. The Romans reached notably high levels in the arts of topiary and horticulture. The aesthetics of plastic and flower compositions was combined with fragrance and sounds from the water in the fountains and the cascades. There is no doubt that the Roman art of gardening stands up to contemporary decorative horticulture in terms of achievements. Garden compositions included pergolas, encased alleys and decorative sculptures such as benches and fountains. The range of plant species was exceptionally wide. 

The interaction between the gardens for walks and the surrounding landscape contributed largely to their qualities. The gardens of Rome (and later of Italy) are considered a model of perfection in using the relief: the terraces in the slopes were open to the captivating views of the scenery. The water, which streamed down from the mountains, gathered in pools, fountains, artificial waterfalls and cascades. These kinds of gardens were called Italian. The term (like the two others: French = “regular” and English = “landscape” gardens) is not scientific but widely used because it describes perfectly the composition character. 

According to Plinius Jr., a part of the decorative gardens also included gardens for riding, gardens for domesticated and wild animals. Vast orchards and vegetable gardens stretched beyond them.

View of the Villa Ludovisi Park in Rome
Vernet, Claude Joseph. 
Oil on canvas. 74.5x99.5 cm; France. 1749 
Museum of the Academy of Arts, Petrograd. 1922