On our way back to Rome, we stopped off to tour the ruins at Pompeii. If you ever get a chance, take a tour--they are amazing. This was a garden that, based on an analysis of the preserved roots left in the soil after the site was excavated, they have replanted to resemble what the formal gardens of a rich Pompeiian merchant would have looked like. Again, could have used a little TLC with some pruners, but still...
Unfortunately, the Italians have discovered oleanders; the good news is they're not quite as ubiquitous as they are here.
