[PODCAST] Gettty Villa
About the Event
This week on In the Garden with UC Master Gardeners, we revisit a show from 2017 when UC MG Ann Liu traveled to and interviewed Michael Dehart, Grounds and Gardens Supervisor at the Getty Villa in Malibu, CA.
Together, they take listeners through a tour of the four gardens: Outer/Inner Peristyles, Herb Garden, and East Garden. You’ll note that this show was recorded before the devastating fires in 2025. Per the www.getty.edu website, it took only five months to reopen on a limited basis. Artwork and grounds have been cleaned but, obviously, the outer grounds and the vegetation suffered greatly. 44% of the Villa’s forest were removed due to the fire. But the plants within the courtyards were saved. Imagine this! J. Paul Getty’s inspiration for this site was the Villa of Papyri (Scrolls) near the ancient Vesuvius eruption site. How similar are the consequences between the eruption and the wildfire? Gain an understanding of how the rich Greek and Roman mythology and culture are woven into garden design and plant selections. Imagine how Roman citizens ate many of the same fruits and vegetables we enjoy today. See how they sculpted their gardens as part of their Man-Control-Nature orientation.