When the book first arrived from Amazon.com, I skimmed through it and was a bit disappointed because there wasn't much information about the design of those gardens. As the author explains in the opening sentence of the introduction of her book, "A botanist's approach to dealing with antique flora is obviously very different from that of an art historian, archaeologist, or architect." This helped me to settle down and listen to what the author wanted to tell me.
Ciarallo's book is a wonderful addition to Jashemski's book precisely because Ciarallo doesn't focus on the paintings and sculptures that were found in Pompeii's gardens or on their architectural setting; her book is about the plants that were once grown in those gardens. When Jashemski's book was published in 1979, archeologists were just beginning to identify plants from ancient pollen samples and fragments of ancient trees. In the introduction to her book, Ciarallo states that "Nowadays, it can be said that new species are acquired almost daily that increase the list of Vesuvian flora of A.D. 79."
In the first chapter, which is entitled Indigenous and Introduced species, The author offers evidence based upon frescos that lemon trees were grown in Pompeii's gardens, overturning the long accepted belief that lemons were introduced from Islamic countries during the Crusades. I found this chapter especially interesting because the author identifies many of the plants which were depicted on the walls of Pompeii.
Chapter 2 - The Landscape describes the natural landscape of the Vesuvian area and how it had been altered in ancient times. This information shows the strong connection between the city of Pompeii and the surrounding environment. This chapter brought Pompeii to life for me in a way that the ruins of the city never have.
Chapter 3 - Urban Vegetation, is the only one to touch on the subject of garden design and, as the title states, it is mainly about plants. There is some information about the garden of the House of the Chaste Lovers. The excavation of this house began in 1987, so of course it wasn't even mentioned in Jashemski's book. I wish that Ciarallo had dedicated an entire chapter to this garden, but the information that she gives is fascinating. This chapter does give quite a bit of information about the commercial vegetable gardens and vineyards that have been found inside the city of Pompeii. I just wish that the author had added a few more pages about ornamental gardens.
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