flower gardens have also been excavated, such as the Garden of Hercules at Pompeii. Flowers and other plants such as parsley were cultivated for aesthetic purposes, as well as to be used in perfume or ceremonial garlands. Trees Trees were used to provide shade, structural support for vining plants, as well as harvested for fruit. More elaborate gardens could also include more formally planned orchards, while more simple gardens would intersperse trees amongst the other plants. Common tree varieties in Roman gardens included olive, chestnut, cypress, pine, almond, and mulberry trees, as well as imported citrus trees. Pliny the Elder writes, in the Natural History, that certain trees were planted in honor of various gods. Herbs and spices Herbs were a common feature of a Roman kitchen garden, cultivated for culinary and medicinal purposes. Species such as garlic, basil, coriander, dill, parsley, rosemary, onion, and mustard were grown across the Empire, as far as Britain. Vining plants Vining plants were often planted in terracotta pots and trained to grow up garden structures for decoration and shade. Grapes were frequently interspersed throughout the garden. A villa rustica, for example, might additionally contain equipment for processing grapes into wine. Additional vining plants found in gardens include bean varieties, as well as vining flowers. Additionally, ivy, native to the area, has been found in gardens. Legacy The common practices and elements of Roman gardens spread alongside the Roman Empire itself, simultaneously influencing and being influenced by the conquered territories. The garden design was typically altered to match the climate of its new setting. Much of the influence of the Roman garden on later eras passes through the gardening practices of the Byzantine Empire. This preserved version of Roman garden designs led to the Italian garden, elements of which were adopted by Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical, and even 20th century landscape architects. Further, gardening implements and technologies in Italy are very similar: modern Italian gardens feature interplanting of various species, and the use of terracotta pots. See also Gardens of ancient Egypt Giardino all'italiana Agriculture in ancient Rome References Further reading Ciarallo, Annamaria. Gardens of Pompeii. Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum, 2001. Gagarin, Michael, and Elaine Fantham. "Gardens." The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece and Rome. Vol. 7. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2010. 271–76. Print. Giesecke, Annette and Naomi Jacobs. Earth Perfect? : Nature, Utopia and the Garden. London: Black Dog Pub., 2012. Jones, F.