Gardens at Getty Villa let you travel back in time: Part One

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Gardens at Getty Villa let you travel back in time: Part One

by Jacqueline

September 18, 2008

Flowers have brief lives, but their history stretches back centuries.

And in Roman times, gardens were a status symbol in a competitive society. “They were there to impress,” says Professor Frank McDonough, botanical information consultant at the L.A. County Arboretum & Botanic Garden in Arcadia, arboretum.org. (Some things never change, right?)

He notes that the Romans used their gardens for exercise, relaxation, contemplation, conversation and learning. “Romans wanted a sense of control over their surroundings and gardens provided that. Once they felt in control, they had a sense of serenity. That’s still true with many gardens today.”

At the Getty Villa getty.edu in Pacific Palisades, CA., you can get an idea of how a patrician Roman might have enjoyed the flowers, trees and herbs of the era.

The Villa, which now serves as an educational center and museum, is a stunning re-creation of a 1st century Roman country house, modeled after the Villa dei Papiri in Herculaneum, Italy.

According to the Getty Web site: “Gardens are integral to the setting of the Getty Villa, as they were in the ancient Roman home. Open spaces around the site feature bronze sculptures, fountains and lush plantings. … About 300 varieties of plant material are used in the landscaping of the Getty Villa.”

I visited the Getty recently and wanted to share the experience with fellow flower lovers. These images are used with special permission from the J. Paul Getty Trust.

Getty Villa Gardens

Inner Peristyle
Photo: Juergen Nogai and Julius Shulman

A peristyle is a covered walkway. Around a narrow reflecting pool sit replicas of finds from the Villa dei Papiri in Herculaneum, including square marble basins and bronze statues.

Plants in this area include acanthus, boxwood, Serbian bellflower, foxglove, hellbore, English ivy, bay laurel and yew.

Getty Villa Gardens

Herb Garden
Photo: Juergen Nogai and Julius Shulman

A small pool of water lilies forms the centerpiece of this quiet spot.

The ancient Romans used plants and flowers in cooking, ceremonies and medicine. What grows here now? Wormwood, calamint, fig, fennel, lavender, apple, peppermint, English mint, horsemint, spearmint, catmint, olive, oregano, marjoram, stone pine, cherry, peach, pomegranate, pear, damask rose, rosemary, feverfew, thyme and grape.

Getty Villa Gardens

A view of the Herb Garden and the southwest facade of the villa.
Photo: Richard Ross

Stop by tomorrow to see more pix!

Flower Fact of the Day: The leaves of the lamb's ear plant are so soft that Romans used them as bandages.

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Comments

clark | Reply
September 16, 2008

flower is very beautiful thing.The people like that own house.sometime,you see the other places on flower for example: in beautiful garden,park and other different places.

clark

Queen of the Click | Reply
September 18, 2008

I have such bad luck with ordering flowers from online. They never look the way they look online. I would love to try teleflora and see if it is different.