Classical Garden Design and History

The Gardens of Ancient Greece and Rome provide a rich garden design heritage that is still in evidence today.  Throughout garden history, structure, ornaments and follies can all be traced back to classical influences.  Learn how modern garden design styles and planting inventions can all be traced back to the gardens of the Greeks and Romans: from Botany, to Topiary and even the concept of the 'Garden Room'

Greek interest in the herbal properties of plants

Plants for your garden

The Greeks were not keen ornamental gardeners, but they did show a keen interest in the herbal properties of plants.  Herbals such as 'Naturalis Historia' by Pliny the Elder and the 'Enquiry into Plants' by Theoprastus showed the Greeks to be keen botanists if not keen garden designers Read more »

Popular Plants in Roman Garden Design

Plants for your garden

Many of the most popular plants used in Roman Garden Design are still in use by modern garden designers.  These include:  Acanthus, Box, Crocus, Cyclamen, Bay, Laurel, Ivy, Lavender and Violets.  Evergreen shrubs were a staple of any planting scheme, both for the shade they provided in summer, and for their strong winter structure. Read more »

Romans invent the 'Peristyle' or 'Outdoor Room'

Plants for your garden

Whilst many garden designers think of the 'outdoor room' as a recent invention in garden design history, credit should perhaps be given to the Romans, who included a central 'Peristyle' or garden courtyard in private houses from as early as the 3rd Century BC Read more »




Pompeii - evidence of the ornamental garden

Plants for your garden

Although many of the garden design ideas of the Romans were forgotten until the Renaissance, fine evidence can be found in frescoes and in the preserved cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Read more »

Topiary - another Roman invention

Plants for your garden

Topiary is probably most commonly associated with the gardens of the Renaissance, so it is no suprise to learn that topiary was widely in use in Roman gardens designs.   Read more »