The gardens of Greece from Homeric to Roman times

The gardens of some Mediterranean cultures are legendary, and they were so already in antiquity. The “Hanging Gardens” of Babylon, for example, were considered in Hellenistic times to be one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.1 The paradise gardens or paradeisoi of the Persian kings were well known to, and admired by, Greeks and Romans alike.2 The Romans themselves were passionate gardeners. Of all these gardens, only those of the Roman Empire have survived. Roman gardens in Pompeii and Herculaneum, buried under tons of volcanic material from Mount Vesuvius, and at various ancient sites in Britain, France and Portugal are familiar to us due to systematic excavations there and the survival of numerous depictions of gardens in the wall paintings of Roman villas.3 Greek gardens, on the other hand, have long remained something of a mystery, and they have only recently been given the attention they deserve.4 We simply are not as well informed about Greek gardens as we are about those of the Romans. Rarely have remains of plantings been observed in excavations of ancient Greek cities, these being limited to clay flower pots or root pits for bushes and trees cut into the bedrock. Nor did Greek historians or poets feel inspired enough to record detailed descriptions of the gardens and landscaping of the homes, parks and estates known to them. Thus, it is tempting for us to postulate that ancient Greek gardens were similar in appearance to the later Roman gardens or to the verdant courtyard gardens found in many Mediterranean lands today. As we shall see, however, there is no evidence to indicate that the Greek garden in antiquity bore any resemblance to its Roman or modern counterpart.