Gardens are integral to the setting of the Getty Villa, as they were in the ancient Roman home. Open spaces around the site feature bronze sculptures, fountains, and lush plantings of trees, herbs, and flowers used by the Romans.

Inner Peristyle
The Inner Peristyle provides an intimate resting spot at the center of the J. Paul Getty Museum.

Around a narrow reflecting pool sit replicas of finds from the Villa dei Papiri in Herculaneum, including square marble basins and bronze statues depicting women who have come to draw water from a stream.

Herb Garden
Outside the Museum entrance lies the Herb Garden, a mosaic of fruit trees and fragrant and colorful annuals and perennials used by the ancient Romans in cooking, ceremony, and medicine.

A small pool of water lilies forms the centerpiece of this quiet spot for strolling and birdwatching.

Outer Peristyle
The Museum's south doors open onto the Outer Peristyle, the largest garden at the Getty Villa. It is adorned with hedge-lined pathways and circular stone benches. Plants favored by the ancient Romans, such as bay laurel, boxwood, myrtle, ivy, and oleander, are planted around a spectacular 220-foot-long reflecting pool. Bronze sculptures, replicas of statues found at the Villa dei Papiri, are placed in their ancient findspots. A peristyle, or covered walkway, surrounds the formal garden and leads visitors past illusionistic wall paintings to spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean.

East Garden
Beyond the East stair in the Museum lies the East Garden, one of the most tranquil spaces at the Villa. This walled sanctuary is shaded by sycamore and laurel trees and animated by splashing water from two sculptural fountains. Theatrical masks adorn the mosaic-and-shell fountain on the east wall, while sculpted bronze civet heads spout playful streams from the fountain at the center of the space.

Plants
About 300 varieties of plant material are used in the landscaping of the Getty Villa, including:

Botanical name		Common name
Inner Peristyle:
Acanthus mollis		acanthus
Buxus sempervirens		boxwood
Campanula poscharskyana		Serbian bellflower
Digitalis purpurea		foxglove
Helleborus orientalis		hellbore
Hedera helix		English ivy
Lauris nobilis		bay laurel
Taxus baccata		yew
Herb Garden:
Artemisia absinthium		wormwood
Calamintha officinalis		calamint
Ficus carica		fig
Foeniculum vulgare		fennel
Lavandula spp.		lavender
Malus domestica		apple
Mentha piperita		peppermint
Mentha spicata		English mint
Mentha sylvestris		horsemint
Mentha viridis		spearmint
Nepeta cataria		catmint
Olea europea		olive
Origanum vulgare		oregano, marjoram
Pinus pinea		stone pine
Prunus spp.		cherry, peach
Punica granatum		pomegranate
Pyrus sp.		pear
Rosa damascena		damask rose
Rosmarinus officinalis		rosemary
Tanacetum vulgare		feverfew
Thymus vulgaris		thyme
Vitis sp.		grape
Outer Peristyle:
Acanthus mollis		acanthus
Buxus microphylla		Japanese boxwood
Campanula poscharskyana		Serbian bellflower
Chamaerops humilis		European fan palm
Iris germanica		iris
Lauris nobilis		bay laurel
Myrtis communis		myrtle
Nerium oleander		oleander
Phoenix dactylifera		date palm
Punica granatum		pomegranate
Thymus serphyllum		creeping thyme
Vitis sp.		grape
East Garden:
Campanula persicifolia		peach-leaf bellflower
Campanula poscharskyana		Serbian bellflower
Campanula pyramidalis		blue chimney bellflower
Laurus nobilis		bay laurel
Morus alba		mulberry
Ruscus aculeatus		ruscus, butcher's broom

Please visit Public Programs to find out about Getty Villa architecture and gardens tours.