Gardening and Garden Design Articles | Garden Information Center

Gardening and garden care are popular with hobbyists all across the United States. Gardening historians and enthusiasts know that in the Western tradition much of our knowledge of modern gardening comes from Europe and ancient Greek culture.

The Greek traditions were sporadically kept alive in Europe in centuries following ancient Greece's decline, but then were revived with a renewed vigor in the early Renaissance in the Italian gardens. While other perspectives developed in the 18th and 19th century, we will focus on the revival of Renaissance gardening in Italy. Many die-hard gardeners dream of taking a trip around the historic gardens of Italy to understand the true origins of modern garden care.

For 15th and 16th century Italians, the Renaissance garden served as a retreat from the chaos of the world. It was designed to provide a special place for contemplation. One contrast between the Renaissance garden and one of our modern gardens is that fruits and herbs in an older Italian garden are not so much practical but rather are woven into the design so that they are ornamental and add to the overall beauty.

Perhaps one of the most famous Renaissance gardens in Italy is The Medici Villa Petraia, near Florence, which was designed by Niccolò Tribolo. It represents the ideal of the Italian garden of the early Renaissance before the much larger schemes of the high Renaissance came into play. It can still be visited today. If you go, take special notice of how much attention is given to garden care particularly in the sculpting of plants; the sculptures are carefully shaped to represent to the Italians the Renaissance ideas of order.

Also adding to the feeling of contemplation and beauty are the tremendous number of scenes from ancient mythology and other scholarly allusions. One might find sculptures that recall earlier medieval or ancient sculptures. There might also be sculptures depicting scenes from famous literature.

Renaissance gardens also included fountains because water was especially symbolic and was connected to symbols of fertility and abundance in nature.

When we think of the modern garden in Hollywood that overlooks the ocean we should think back to the Italian Renaissance garden which is terraced on a slightly sloped hill side. Here, paths and steps connect to the various levels. These terraces divide a large property's garden into different rooms and allow each room to display a different mood. Terraces also limit views and create a sense of anticipation for when you are at the top of a property. Still, any connecting terrace should feel like a surprise as you make your trek up the garden path. Looking down from the top of the villa you should feel like you are seeing a painting of pleasant vistas which have been carefully sculpted.

Again, this architectural design goes back to the Renaissance idea of the garden as a place of order and contemplation and garden care is especially important for keeping this sense of purpose in the environment. Should you be lucky enough to visit the gardens of Italy, no doubt the way you care for your own garden will be changed and touched.