Landscaping, no matter how modern the name may sound, is not really a new concept. In fact, the art of beautifying lawns and gardens has been around for many centuries.
If you look back at old history books, specifically those about the Roman era, you will notice that most of the houses there, especially the ones owned by the rich and the powerful, have manicured lawns and gardens in them. Although there are no notable landscapers mentioned from that time, one can be sure that the Romans did pay attention to how the surroundings of their homes looked like, and took extra effort to make them as beautiful as they can by adding pools, fountains, and even statues of heroes, gods and goddesses and even mythical creatures. Even the Japanese had their own version of landscaping, as can be seen in their zen gardens.
When the renaissance flourished, art has extended its grasp from paintings and literature to architecture and it goes without saying that this included lawns and gardens as well. Until today, some of the beautiful gardens in front of historical buildings that date back to the 17th centuries have actually been there for just as long.
The 18th century has seen the growth and spread of landscaping throughout various regions in the western hemisphere, most notably in North America and European countries. It was also this time that the term “landscape architecture” was first used. In this century, landscaping has become so widespread that they are not only used in homes and in front of important government buildings, but also in city parks.
When the advent of modern urban planning came, many governments have commissioned architects and landscapers to create for their city or state large parks to provide the constituents with a beautiful and relaxing spot where they can take a stroll, relax themselves and have some fun. The most notable example of such endeavor would be Central Park in New York.
From there on, landscaping has become so widespread that they can be seen in almost every country in the world. Although some traditional styles were kept and maintained, newer and more eclectic approaches to landscaping have been developed as time progressed. Perhaps it is the combination of tradition and modernization that made this art endure for such a long time.
