Gardening is an integral part of the history of landscape
architecture. Without the knowledge of gardening, plants
would easily die out and there will be nothing for people
to admire in lawns and parks everywhere in the world.
This article takes a peek at the history of gardening
beginning from the ancient times to today’s society.
People have appreciated having vast lawns and gardens in
their households for a long time. Even in ancient Egyptian
tombs, there are illustrations that show ponds surrounded
by different types of trees which are evidences of how
gardening flourished even at that time.
Then there’s the fabled Hanging Gardens of Babylon which is
one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was said
to have been built by the Persian king Darius the Great for
his wife.
The civilizations that came after Egypt and Persia
continued with this tradition of having a vast expanse of
gardens. These include the Ancient Greeks and Romans.
But gardening isn’t an entirely Western activity. Even the
ancient Chinese and Japanese have built landscapes in their
temples.
Their designs are usually aimed at replicating natural
landscapes such as mountains and rivers.
The Middle Ages brought about a revival of gardening
practices in Europe. By the 16th to the 18th centuries, the
development of such gardens was at an all time high.
And while gardening of the past was solely in the domain of
houses and temples, it played an important role in urban
planning by the time the 20th century came.
It has since then played a part in the creation not only of
houses but also of buildings throughout the world.