Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
The origin of the garden is rooted in the Th concept of naturalism has been traced to
human desire to be surrounded by plants. China, but it has reached its highest
The first few gardens in recorded history development in Japan.
were those of the ancient cultures of Egypt Fusion of Naturalism and Formalism
and China. The fusion of Eastern naturalism and
It was in these cultures that the two-opposing Western formalism took place in eighteenth
tradition in gardens originated, namely century England.
formalism and naturalism.
Formalism
The Egyptian gardens developed at the edge Cottage Garden were primarily utilitarian
of the deserts where the natural vegetation gardens, with fruit, vegetables, herbs,
was sparse, represented the development of flowers and shrubs, crowded in a very
an artificial oasis. small area.
The enclosed garden is cool and leafy,
typified by water and shade. Woodland Garden is a peaceful sheltered
The Egyptian garden, copied their basic place based on natural grouping of trees
design everywhere though changed and with appropriate underplanting of the
according to the local variation in land, plants shrubs, herbaceous plants and bulbs.
and climate, spread to Syria, Persia India and
The first botanical garden was started at
ultimately to Rome.
Padua, near Venice (Italy) in 1543.
The grounds design became the important
concept, whereas the plant was treated as
merely an architectural material. The plant
was pruned, clipped and trained to conform
to the plan. The resultant noble symmetry
included courtyards, terraces, staircases and
fountains.
Formalism reached its peak in the age of
Louis XIV.
The master architectural gardens and Andre
Le Notre still remain unsurpassed examples
of formalism design predominant over
nature.
Naturalism
Naturalism as a concept in garden can be
interpreted as an attempt to live with nature
rather than to dominate it.
Historical Development of Gardens and Gardening in India
Ancient India (Vedic Period)
The history of systematic gardening in India The lotus has been mentioned frequently in
is as old as civilization of Indus of Harappan the Sanskrit scriptures of Vedic times.
which existed between 2500 B.C and 1750
The Atharva Veda and possibly the Rig
B.C. During the period, people were living in
Veda mention the Asvatha tree, the Pipal
well-planned dwellings. Harappan pots were
(Ficus religiosa).
generally decorated with the design of trees.
In every village, trees including Ficus The epics of the Aryans, the Ramayana and
religiosa (pipal) and F. bengalensis (banyan) the Mahabharata, also mentioned about
were planted for worship as well as for shade. gardens, trees and flowers.
Aryan’s contribution in Indian gardening The Asokavana where Sita was held
captivity by Ravana, was composed mostly
The history of civilization which prospered in
of Asoka (Saraca indica) trees.
Punjab, Sind, Rajasthan and Gujarat dates
In both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata
back to 2500 B.C. before the Aryans
trees and creepers namely Ficus religiosa,
civilizations of about 1600 B.C.
Saraca indica, Terminalia arjuna, Mesua
The Aryans of the Vedic period were great ferrea, Cassia fistula, Shorea robusta, Butea
lovers of trees and flowers. They were menosperma are mentioned.
literary people and brought with them the The tree Kadamba (Anthocephalus
four Vedas viz., Rig Veda, Artharva Veda, cadamba) as it was closely associated with
Yuzur Veda and Sam Veda and the Puranas. the life of Lord Krishna.
The Lotus was a popular flower and regarded
The first evidence of Asvatha tree, the Pipal
by both the Hindus and Buddhists as a
(Ficus religiosa), comes from a seal from
symbol of purity.
Mohen-jo-daro, of the third millennium B.C.
During the later Aryan period the Aryans
Another seal from Harappa of the same developed some wishful thinking in the form
period depicts a weeping willow (Salix of Kalpavriksha, the wish granting tree, the
babylonica). Kalpalata, a similar creeper.
One sculpture depicting such a tree dating Parijatham (Nyctanthes arbortristis),
back to the third century B.C and now Bauhinia variegata, Mimusops elengi,
preserved in the Calcutta Museum was Albizzia lebbek and screwpine.
identified as the Banyan tree. The creeper ‘Madhavi latha’ (Hiptage
Gardening in Buddhist India madablata) occupied a prominent place in his
The association of different trees with the life play ‘Sakuntala’. In the same play, we find
of Lord Buddha is well known. Buddha was the mention of pleasure gardens. In
born in 563 B.C. His birth is believed to have Meghduta he describes the women of
taken place under the Asoka tree (Saraca Alakapuri to have used Kadamba flowers to
indica). Further, Buddha attained his decorate their hair in the monsoon and carried
enlightenment under a Pipal tree, spread his pink lotuses in their arms.
new teachings under shady banyan and Vatsayana (300-400 A.D.) in his book
mango trees and breathed his last in a Sal ‘Kamasutra’ gives a glimpse of the joyful
(Shorea robusta) grove. civic life of that period. He narrates four
The great Emperor Asoka (264-227 B.C.) kinds of gardens:
adopted arboriculture as one of his state
1. Pramododyan meant for the
policies. He encouraged the planting of
enjoyment of the royal couples
avenue trees. His son Prince Mahendra took
2. Udyan where the kings played chess,
a sapling of the Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa)
enjoyed the dances of the maids and
from India and planted it at Anuradhapur in
jokes of the court jesters
Sri Lanka (250 B.C.).
3. Brikshavatika the garden where
Kanishka and Gupta era
high-placed persons in the king’s
The golden age of Hindu culture is
court enjoyed life with courtesans
considered to be period between 100 and 600
4. Nandavana which was dedicated to
A.D. during the rulers of Kanishka and the
Lord Krishna.
Gupta kings.
Kalidasa during the rule of Chandragupta Hiuen Tsang, the famous Chinese pilgrim,
II mention several flowering trees including traveled widely in India and describes the
the Asoka tree (Saraca asoka), Kadamba status of gardening in Ancient India
(Anthocephalus cadamba), Arjuna
(Terminalia arjuna), Butea monosperma,
Mughal Period of Indian Gardening Shalimar, Achhabal and Verinag in
Before the Mughals came to India, Firoz Kashmir were created by him. The tomb
Tughlaq had developed about twelve garden at Itimad-ud-Daulah in Agra, in
hundred gardens around Delhi and more memory of his father-in-law, was also his
elsewhere. creation.
Among the Mughal emperors, Babur had Shah Jahan built the Red fort in Delhi
high aesthetic sense and was fond of gardens which has a beautiful garden. The gardens
and he made gardens at Panipat and Agra. around Taj Mahal in Agra, in memory of his
beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal, was also his
Aram Bagh at Agra is still being well
creation. The small but pretty garden at
maintained by the Archeological
Chashma Shahi in Kashmir was laid by one
Department. Mughal gardens are
of his governors.
synonymous with formal style of gardening.
The square or rectangular flower beds are The best garden created by Shah Jahan was
special features of Mughal gardens. Another Shalimar garden in Lahore
important contribution was the introduction
Sher Shah Suri who ruled for a short period
of exotic plants like cypress, rose, carnation,
after defeating Babur, constructed the famous
narcissus, daffodils, lilies, tulips, etc.,
Grand Trunk Road and planted avenue
Babur introduce the Persian rose in India. trees on both sides.
Akbar built a new capital at Fatehpur Sikri, Among the Nawabs of Oudh, the last Nawab
complete with gardens, trees and flowers. Wajid Ali Shah, established Sikandar bagh
now the National Botanical Research
He was the first Mughal to enter Kashmir and
Institute, Lucknow.
establish a garden, Nasim Bagh, close to the
Dal lake.
The Babur Nama, the memoirs of Babur,
The tomb garden of Akbar at Sikandra is
mentioned of the flowers namely oleander,
an example of gardening art during that
Hibiscus, white jasmine
period.