Oldest Botanic Garden

121. The earliest private botanic garden was formed at Padua, by Gaspar de Gabrieli, a wealthy Tuscan noble, at considerable expense. It was accomplished in 1525; and, though not a public institution, it was open to all the curious. To this garden succeeded that of Cornari at Venice, and Simonetta at Milan; those of some convents at Rome, and of Pinella, at Naples, with others enumerated by botanical historians. (C. Spreng. Hist., lib. iii.; Haller, Bibl. Bot., vol. i. p. 264.; Tiraboschi, Stor. della Lett. Ital. Gesner, Hort. German.; Stephanus de Re Hortense.)