To get a good picture of Romano-British gardens of antiquity, we must consider their prototypes in Italy. Horticulture in primitive Italy, as in other countries, was at its beginning merely intended for practical purposes. Gradually the Latin word hortus, applied in the days of republican simplicity to a field of vegetables, was stretched, at the time of the luxurious emperors, to denote pleasure gardens of the utmost magnificence. In this latter period, the source of every new form of Roman art, including garden architecture, was Greece, which in its turn had received inspiration from Egypt, Persia, and Assyria.

Egyptian gardens are the earliest of which definite records still exist. Pictures and inscriptions, dating far back into the centuries before Christ, show that most Egyptian dwellings were built around a series of courtyards containing vegetation both useful and ornamental. Originally, a row of trees along the inner wall of the building shaded it and the enclosed quadrangle. Later, the tree trunks gave place to solid columns, and the overhanging branches to projecting rafters, which resulted in a general effect foreshadowing the Greek peristyle (columned porch or colonnade) and monastic cloisters.
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Blue flowers are some of the most striking plants around and can add a rich splash of color to any garden. Plant them in a cluster of all blue or mix them in with other flowers for a rainbow of color.

When planting flowers, it is important to remember to follow the instructions on the tag for the plant. Always buy plants that will thrive in the conditions in which you intend to grow them. A plant that loves sun will not do well in a shady area and you will only be disappointed with the results.

When planning your garden, be aware of the bloom time of the flowers. Planting perennials with different bloom times near each other will insure a garden that has blooms all season long. Remember also to plan for the height of the plants, putting the
taller ones in the back.

Consider the flowers on the list below for your garden.

Polemonuim aka Blue Pearl – A compact plant with deep sky blue flowers that grows to 10″. It blooms in late spring to early summer. Plant in partial shade and in well drained soil.

Blue Sea Holly – This dramatic plant has a lavender blue cone like flower with long spiked petals. It grows to 30″ and is a favorite for dried flower arrangements. Plant in full sun – blooms in mid to late summer.
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Apparently, we can see how nature is treated these days. It is a sad thing to know that people do not pay attention so much anymore to the environmental problems. What can we do about this? It’s as simple as starting with the children. It is good to see the children’s involvement with environment-friendly activities. One such nature-loving activity that children could easily get their hands on is gardening. Why should you consider gardening for your children?

Here are the benefits that gardening could easily provide the children with:

1. Science

In planting, children are indirectly taught the wonders of science like the plant’s life cycle and how human’s intervention can break or make the environment. They can have a first hand experience on the miracle of life through a seed. This would definitely be a new and enjoyable experience for the kids.
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The Calla Lilies are plants belonging to the Zantedeschia genus in the Araceae family. The genus contains seven plant species and they are all commonly referred to as Calla Lillies. Some of them have other common names as well. Zantedeschia aethiopica is also known as giant white arum lily and common arum lily. Zantedeschia albomaculata is sometimes sold as spotted arum lily, and Zantedeschia rehmannii is known as the pink arum lily. Zantedeschia elliottiana has a yellow shade and is therefore called yellow or golden arum lily. The other three species, Zantedeschia odorata, Zantedeschia jucunda and Zantedeschia pentlandii, are usually called just Calla Lilies.

All the Calla Lilies originate from the African continent and are found wild between north Malawi and South Africa. They are often referred to as Arum Lilies. The Calla Lilies should not be confused with the flowers found in the genus named Calla that can be found in the Araceae family. This genus contains only one species, the Calla palustris, and unlike the Calla Lilies, this plant is native to cool regions in the temperate zoon and grows wild in Europe, North America and northern Asia. Another source of confusion regarding the Calla Lilies is that they actually do not belong to the family of the lilies.
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