Roman Grass

[Faustus]

We

[M. Porcius Cato]

Goats were my first thought too, but that's just a guess. But maybe they just let it grow long (better for grass crowns that way).

[Gaius Octavius]

There is a large park across the way from me in which there is both a Long and a Sheep Meadow. Up until WWII(?), sheep grazed these meadows. I wouldn't want to picnic there. The recesses of my flawed memory have conjured up a picture of a straight bladed push mower on a relative's farm. Maybe? I don't think that it would work in the City.

 

What about fallen leaves?

Edited April 27, 2008 by Gaius Octavius

[Nephele]

An interesting topic! But... Did the Romans even have lawns? I've always thought of lawns as being more of a modern fad -- or at least something that came into vogue within the past few centuries. I could be wrong, but I tend to think of the Romans as having been more inclined towards maintaining both ornamental and produce gardens, than expanses of land producing nothing but grass (unless that grass was to feed livestock).

 

-- Nephele

[Faustus]

Goats were my first thought too, but that's just a guess. But maybe they just let it grow long (better for grass crowns that way).

 

If grass crowns were all the rage. however rats, mice, vermin, snakes, and other varmints like the "grassy environment" as well. Maybe it grew very little if it were a special variety we don't know of today. "Formal lawns covered with short and tended to grass first appeared in France around the 1700s, and the idea soon spread to England and the rest of the world. Lawns were first kept clean and tidy by having animals graze on the grass, or scythe, sickle, or shears were used to hand cut the grass lawns. "

Now we can imagine the cultured manicured environment these French lawns were adapted to, but tall grass is a nuissance as is mud. A very sandy soil tightly packed would serve as a "pavement".

[Gaius Octavius]

What about the environs of a sea side Roman villa?

[Faustus]

What about the environs of a sea side Roman villa?

 

You nailed it G.O.

I too thought of Roman villas, but not necessarily sea side. They no doubt did some special above ground plantings of blooming flowers and other special plantings, but those can't be everywhere. People do need places to walk around about. The villa environment is much different from the City of Rome. Even the rural towns had some of the openness of the Roman villa.

 

BTW goat "poo" consists of little elongated turds with a fibrous texture which is easy to dispose of and disintegrates quickly in rain, but really has no odor to speak of if there is not a huge amount, and it's not "disturbed". (But don

Edited April 27, 2008 by Faustus

[Northern Neil]

An interesting topic! But... Did the Romans even have lawns? I've always thought of lawns as being more of a modern fad -- or at least something that came into vogue within the past few centuries. I could be wrong, but I tend to think of the Romans as having been more inclined towards maintaining both ornamental and produce gardens, than expanses of land producing nothing but grass (unless that grass was to feed livestock).

 

-- Nephele

Nephele, this thought of yours has actually made me lose some sleep! My latest 'creation' is a peristyle house with a garden set out thus:

This garden layout is based on some existing examples, but the grassed lawn is based on other peoples reconstruction drawings and models. And, it seems, assumptions. Try as I might I cannot find ANY references to, or evidence of, lawns. Apart from wondering if I need to radically rip apart and restructure some of my models, I wonder if maybe in houses like this grass, which can be a nuisance to keep short without a modern mower, was actually kept down with gravel and mulch, or even weeded? In England the interiors of such buildings seem to have been cobbles set in clay, or flagged, from what I have read so far on this subject.

Edited April 27, 2008 by Northern Neil

[Kosmo]

Sickels and especially reapers still do the job.

Mowing it's not only an ocupation for design purposes but foremost it's producing hey to feed livestock and to serve as bedding for animals especially in the winter.

[Nephele]

Nephele, this thought of yours has actually made me lose some sleep! My latest 'creation' is a peristyle house with a garden set out thus...

 

NN, it's always a treat to get a glimpse of one of your latest model projects -- many thanks! I think I like your Roman houses best of all.

 

As to the lawn in your peristyle... I did some checking and I don't think you need to do any really radical changes to your model, but perhaps you might want to poke a few ornamental shrubs, and perhaps even a miniature fruit tree, in that green section of your peristylium, rather than have it consist of just lawn?

 

The Romans called that area of the peristylium the viridarium. One of my favorite authors on ancient Roman life and times, William Stearns Davis, takes us on a vividly descriptive tour of the Roman townhouse. Here is his description of the peristylium:

 

"The heavy curtains have been swept aside from the broad passageways (

fauces

) which lead into the second court -- the

peristylium

. Here the atrium is duplicated -- but on a much more elaborate scale. There is another column-girdled court; but the pillars are taller and of an exquisite blue-veined marble. A huge curtain swings on its cords ready for expansion as the sun grows hot. Beneath the light-opening, there is not merely a second fountain, but a real plat of greensward, a

viridarium

, with a bright bed of rare flowers and even a few tropical plants. There is another phalanx of statues. Under the long quadrangular colonnades around the court are spread out deeply upholstered couches, easy chairs, small tables, and other appurtenances for luxurious existence. The ceilings of the colonnades and of the rooms leading thence are covered with metallic fretwork gilded in a soft sheen, while the intense light filters down gratefully between the columns and sinks to a pleasant twilight in the niches and nooks in the walls of the peristylium."

 

-- Nephele

[Lost_Warrior]

I had actually thought they'd used stones, or something. Like old fashioned pavement, around their houses. There would be plants, fountains, statues etc. but no grass, at least, not in the immediate vicinity of the houses.

[Faustus]

I had actually thought they'd used stones, or something. Like old fashioned pavement, around their houses. There would be plants, fountains, statues etc. but no grass, at least, not in the immediate vicinity of the houses.

In cities like Rome (and others) where buildings are crowded to the street there could hardly have been

[Gaius Octavius]

Are all y'all ignoring me? What about leafs? Sheeps and goats won't eat them.

 

[Faustus]

Are all y'all ignoring me? What about leafs? Sheeps and goats won't eat them.

 

Most trees (in Italy) were turned into wood products, Lombardy Poplar don't have leaves, just needles(?)

Leaves can just be swept up when they become a nuisance, even used as valued humus.

[Lost_Warrior]

even used as valued humus.

 

I thought hummus was a spread made from chick peas (speaking of which, I should make some. Yum!)