European Scaled Gardens

Italian – It’s All About the Arch!

The Italian Renaissance garden was among the first of the Renaissance gardens from which others across Europe were inspired, continuing today to provide a model for landscape architects around the world.

Unlike the earlier Italian Medieval gardens enclosed by walls and dedicated to solitary serenity and the growth of fruits, vegetables and herbs, the Italian Renaissance gardens were designed to provide an order and beauty that flows from adjoining structures and melds seamlessly into the surrounding landscape. They were created for both entertaining and reflecting – appealing to all of the senses. In the late Renaissance, they became larger and featured elaborate and ornate statues, grottoes, fountains and water organs.

Garden features of the Italian Renaissance garden compliment the Palladian arch distinct in early Rome.