Ever since Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, people have been trying to climb back over the fence, because, whatever the attractions of city living, there is nothing like a garden to refresh both body and soul.
In the 17th century, London and Edo (as Tokyo was then known) were probably the world's fastest-growing cities, but citizens of those vibrant hubs were still dreaming of greenery. In "The Garden," the English poet Andrew Marvell (1621-78) wrote: "What wondrous life is this I lead! Ripe apples drop about my head, The luscious clusters of the vine, Upon my mouth do crush their wine. Stumbling on melons, as I pass, Insnare'd with flowers, I fall on grass."