The concept of garden it was not as clear in ancient Greece as it is today. They linked trees, fountains, waterfalls, flowers, and various expressions of beauty. The first antecedents of gardens are found in the pre-Hellenic culture, in the Aegean islands, highlighting the Minoan culture that from Crete spread to the nearby islands, some remains are found in the Palace of Knossos, in the houses of Santorini. On the island of Thera they were found painted on the walls of the rooms, beautiful groundsAs decoration, wanting to create a sacred magical environment, as the creation of natural gardens is more difficult and takes time, they were painted trying to create the same sensations of pleasure and relaxation.
In the House of the Ladies on the island of Thera The Fresco of the Papyri was found, the Fresco of the Lilies, this is a rocky landscape, in which red lilies grow, birds flutter over them, they recreated a domestic garden, although the lilies have ritual and mythological aspects.
Pliny tells us in his Natural History that it was Epicurus who made the first private garden in the city. "It was Epicurus, master of leisure, the first in Athens who instituted the use of recreational gardens, until he, it was not customary to live in the countryside within the city.
Cimon was the first to beautify Athens, he transformed the Academy, an arid and dry place into a forest with fountains, with shady places, with avenues with trees.
Plato installed his Philosophical Academy in a gym on the outskirts of the city.
Aristotle installed his Lyceum between avenues of banana trees, he walked while he dictated his classes. With the conquest of other countries, the concept of garden in Greece was growing.