The History behind Gardens

 

For those of us that would like to learn a little more about different styles of gardens, and origins of garden design, a good place is to look back over history. It is amazing how gardener’s today do not often realise that when they decide on a planting scheme, or decide to rearrange a bed, subconsciously our ideas often stem from years ago. This article will start by discussing garden design in Egypt, what the gardens purposes were, and provides a little more understanding of why we plant what we plant, as well as building on these past ideas and adopting them for gardens of today.

 

Egyptian Gardens

The history and character of gardens in Ancient Egypt, like all aspects of Egyptian life, depended upon the Nile, and the network of canals from it. Water was hoisted from the Nile in leather buckets and carried on the shoulders to the gardens, and later, beginning in about the 4th century B.C., lifted from wells by hoists with counterbalancing weights called shadouf in Arabic. The earliest gardens were composed of planting beds divided into squares by earthen walls, so the water could soak into the soil rather than run off. Gardens belonged to temples or the residences and garden designers were often motivated by religious considerations that dictated the form of gardens. Secular gardens were located near the river or canals, and were used mainly for growing vegetables.

Beginning with the New Kingdom, gardens were attached to more luxurious residences, and were sometimes enclosed by walls. The gardens of ancient Egypt probably began as simple fruit orchards and vegetable gardens, irrigated with water from the Nile. Gradually as the country became richer, they evolved into pleasure gardens, with flowers, ponds and alleys of fruit and shade trees. Temples, palaces, and private residences had their own gardens, and models of gardens were sometimes placed in tombs so their owners could enjoy them in their afterlife. So Egyptians had gardens of pleasure and Paradise gardens, as well as temple and funeral gardens.

There were many symbolisms associated with trees, including to specific gods such as Osiris, Nut, Isis and Hathor. They also had creation overtones, as well as funerary. The Papyrus and Lotus plants were symbolic of the two regions of Lower and Upper Egypt (respectively).

Due to the arid climate of Egypt, tending gardens meant constant attention and is dependent on irrigation. Skilled gardeners were employed by temples and households of the rich. Duties included planting, weeding, watering using a chadouf, prune fruit trees, digging the ground, picking fruit etc. The garden houses were separated by a wall agricultural sites.

Popular trees included the sycamore fig, pomegranate, nut trees and jujube. However, willows, acacia and tamarisk were also found. In all, there were about eighteen varieties of trees grown by the Egyptians.

The Pink flowered tamarisk, acacia and willow trees were common in gardens. The sycamore (Ficus sycomorus) and tamarisk trees were sometimes planted in front of temples, as they were at the temple of Nebhepetra, from the 11th century.The Ancient Egyptians cultivated Ficus sycomorus, it was believe to be the ancient Egyptian Tree of Life, planted on the threshold between life and death. Some of the caskets of mummies in Egypt are made from the wood of this tree.

Flowers were also abundant, and included daisies, cornflowers, mandrakes, roses, irises, myrtle, jasmine, mignonettes, convolvulus, celosia, narcissus, ivy, lychnis, sweet marjoram, henna, bay laurel, small yellow chrysanthemums and poppies. Of course, there were also papyrus, lotus and grapes.

The most common fruit trees were date palms, fig trees and doum palms (Crucifera thebaica). The persea tree was considered sacred, and was found in both temple gardens and residential gardens. The pomegranate tree was introduced during the New Kingdom, and was prized for its aroma and color. Other fruits grown in the gardens were Jujube, olives, and peaches. Vegetables were grown for food or for ceremonies. Cos lettuce was considered sacred, and was connected with Min the deity of reproduction, and was believed to be a powerful aphrodesiac.