History of gardening

**Historical Development of Gardening Styles:**
– Enclosure of outdoor spaces began around 10,000 BC.
– Egyptian tomb paintings from the 16th century BC depict ornamental horticulture.
– Persian gardens, like those of Darius the Great and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, showcase elaborate designs.
– Vitruvius’s 27 BC manual on architecture emphasized firmness, utility, and delight in design.
– Mesopotamian gardens in the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers date back to around 3,000 BC.
– Assyrian gardens featured water basins, trees, and sculptures depicting royal feasts.
– Chinese garden design influenced the development of Japanese gardens.
– European Renaissance, French formal, English landscape, and modern garden design styles evolved over time.

**Mesopotamian Gardens:**
– Mesopotamia, located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, was inhabited by urban and literate peoples from around 3,000 BC.
– Temple gardens and various royal garden styles were developed in Mesopotamia.
– Courtyard gardens enclosed by palace walls were common, exemplified by the Court of the Palms at Mari.
– Evidence of Mesopotamian gardens comes from written texts, pictorial sculpture, and archaeology.

**Influences on Garden Design:**
– Gardening traditions in the Ancient Near East influenced the development of Islamic gardens.
– The Roman garden style was influenced by Mediterranean gardening, impacting later European gardens.
– Plants available for gardening have changed significantly over the centuries due to introductions from various regions.
– Ornamental plants used today are mostly cultivars bred for improved qualities like color, size, and hardiness.

**Royal Gardens and Parks:**
– Royal hunting parks established to hold exotic animals and plants.
– Assyrian kings developed city gardens with naturalistic layouts.
– King Tiglath-Pileser I lists various animals acquired on foreign campaigns.
– Assurnasirpal II lists exotic plants in the city garden.
– Sennacherib’s palace and garden were technologically advanced.

**Cultural Gardens and References:**
– Indian subcontinental gardens like Sigiriya in Sri Lanka and Shalimar Bagh in India.
– Biblical references to the Tigris and Euphrates near the Garden of Eden.
– The Hanging Gardens of Babylon as one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
– Chinese and Buddhist gardens in Ancient India with historical mentions in texts and inscriptions.
– Assyrian city gardens and parks with advanced water systems and ornate designs.