Lazio and Campania are places of the most exquisite natural beauty. The climate is benevolent, often mild enough for lemons and oranges and olives to flourish, and the soil is richly fertile, the drainage good. It is no wonder, then, that gardens have been made here since before the time of the Romans. Frescoes at Herculaneum and Oplontis portray garden scenes, and traces of more than 400 gardens have been discovered in the ruins of the villas at Pompeii. In the hills around Rome, on the islands of the Bay of Naples, clinging to the cliffs above the Amalfi Coast, there still exist gardens allowing a glimpse into the shadow of time, gardens lovely, atmospheric and often filled with inspiration as well as exotic plants.