The Italian Renaissance saw a dramatic development in the whole concept of gardens. In the early fifteenth century, as trade started to flourish again, merchants in the hot city of Florence began to build villas or farms on the surrounding vineyard hills where it was cooler. The earliest Renaissance gardens were at first in the formal, enclosed tradition but gradually a view was allowed into the garden through a hole in the wall. As a natural view became more important the enclosures were swept away and the hillside gardens were allowed to stride down their sites through olive groves and vineyards.
During the sixteenth century the initiative passed to Rome, where the architect Bramante designed a papal garden within the Vatican. This was the forerunner of the High Renaissance style, with a magnificent arrangement of steps and terraces, which became a prototype for everything which followed. From then on gardens became even more ostentatious in design, with terraces at different levels retained by walls and interconnected by grand staircases. Water again became a major feature, as it was in Islamic gardens. It was pressurized and used spectacularly, progressing down an incline or displayed in an elaborate fountain. While these Renaissance gardens were still places for cool retreat, with shade and water of great importance, they were also showplaces where the site and its vegetation were deliberately manipulated. The Italians were really the first to make decorative use of plants, with hedges, for example, used to link the house and garden structurally. The Renaissance movement originating in Italy spread northwards, together with increased knowledge about plants and their cultivation. In France the small formal gardens within the walls of mowed chateaux moved outside, becoming much grander in scope.
The Greeks discovered the delights of Persian culture, including their paradise gardens, when they were waging war in Asia during the third century BC. During the first century BC we also hear of influential Greeks having vegetables planted in their gardens, to furnish their tables. Homer wrote of Alcinous' large walled garden which grew vegetables, including beans, with an orchard of apple, pear and fig trees.
As times became more peaceful throughout Europe the defence walls were lowered, the garden area grew larger and a simple formal design developed.
The central courtyard within a colonnaded peristyle (known as an atrium) became a major feature of the house and was, in effect, the main living area; it still survives today in the cathedral court and cloister. The garden layouts were much on the Greek pattern, architectural and formal and made up of flower beds and paths, pergolas and statuary with fountains and pools for irrigation. Flowers such as the violet, poppy, iris, lily and pansy were popular and, in particular, the rose. Climbing plants were trained up the supporting columns of covered walks and pergolas.
The most intricate designs were simply filled with gravel or coloured earth while more open beds contained flowering plants such as lilies, gilleyflowers, lavender, primroses, marigolds and roses. There were also orchards and vegetable gardens and among the fruit and vegetables mentioned were cherries, apples, pears, wild strawberries, vines, onions, peas, garlic, leeks, lettuces, turnips, radish and spinach. - 16035
During the sixteenth century the initiative passed to Rome, where the architect Bramante designed a papal garden within the Vatican. This was the forerunner of the High Renaissance style, with a magnificent arrangement of steps and terraces, which became a prototype for everything which followed. From then on gardens became even more ostentatious in design, with terraces at different levels retained by walls and interconnected by grand staircases. Water again became a major feature, as it was in Islamic gardens. It was pressurized and used spectacularly, progressing down an incline or displayed in an elaborate fountain. While these Renaissance gardens were still places for cool retreat, with shade and water of great importance, they were also showplaces where the site and its vegetation were deliberately manipulated. The Italians were really the first to make decorative use of plants, with hedges, for example, used to link the house and garden structurally. The Renaissance movement originating in Italy spread northwards, together with increased knowledge about plants and their cultivation. In France the small formal gardens within the walls of mowed chateaux moved outside, becoming much grander in scope.
The Greeks discovered the delights of Persian culture, including their paradise gardens, when they were waging war in Asia during the third century BC. During the first century BC we also hear of influential Greeks having vegetables planted in their gardens, to furnish their tables. Homer wrote of Alcinous' large walled garden which grew vegetables, including beans, with an orchard of apple, pear and fig trees.
As times became more peaceful throughout Europe the defence walls were lowered, the garden area grew larger and a simple formal design developed.
The central courtyard within a colonnaded peristyle (known as an atrium) became a major feature of the house and was, in effect, the main living area; it still survives today in the cathedral court and cloister. The garden layouts were much on the Greek pattern, architectural and formal and made up of flower beds and paths, pergolas and statuary with fountains and pools for irrigation. Flowers such as the violet, poppy, iris, lily and pansy were popular and, in particular, the rose. Climbing plants were trained up the supporting columns of covered walks and pergolas.
The most intricate designs were simply filled with gravel or coloured earth while more open beds contained flowering plants such as lilies, gilleyflowers, lavender, primroses, marigolds and roses. There were also orchards and vegetable gardens and among the fruit and vegetables mentioned were cherries, apples, pears, wild strawberries, vines, onions, peas, garlic, leeks, lettuces, turnips, radish and spinach. - 16035
