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Orientgardening - A History of Balance and Harmony
Orientgardening - A History of Balance and Harmony
The gardens of the Orient have become classic symbols of the civilisations that emerged between the rivers of the Near East.orientgardening ficus trees The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Alhambra and the Taj Mahal are among the most renowned examples.orientgardening ficus trees They are also a source of inspiration for modern garden designers, who use the same principles to create lush landscapes that are both aesthetic and practical.
These gardens were designed to reflect the culture of their owners, who believed that nature was divine.orientgardening ficus trees Their creators used a wide range of plants and ornaments to express their own particular identities, but they were always based on the principles of balance and harmony.orientgardening ficus trees The use of water was particularly important. Water was considered to be life, and it determined the form of the gardens by creating oases that were characterised by the presence of trees and flowers.
In the Orient, gardens were often designed as private, secret and hidden spaces, and they were a manifestation of the cultural identity of their owners.orientgardening ficus trees The term orientgardening is used to describe this style of gardening and refers to the way in which the landscape is arranged around a central water source or fountain.orientgardening ficus trees
Throughout history, gardens have been a meeting point for cultures from the Orient and Europe.orientgardening ficus trees This exchange has given rise to an extraordinarily rich and varied heritage of landscapes.orientgardening ficus trees The exhibition orientgardening at the Institut du Monde Arabe traces the development of this dazzling and varied heritage.
The garden was a place of relaxation and pleasure, a space for reflection, a place where the senses could be stimulated and emotions evoked.orientgardening ficus trees The gardens were also a symbol of power and authority. Princes held official receptions in their garden palaces, and belvederes allowed them to survey their domain.
A century before the first exhibition on this theme was published, the writer William Chambers (1726-1796) described oriental landscape scenes of “luxury and the surprising” in his Dissertation on Oriental Gardening (1772).orientgardening ficus trees Chambers’s writings helped to make these scenes part of European cultural heritage.
When Charles Dean and his late husband, Clyde “Skip” Wachsberger, planted the two rare Silver Parasol magnolia trees in their Orient garden 16 years ago, they were no bigger than pencils.orientgardening ficus trees Now, they tower over the yard, and their scented blooms perfume the air. Dean’s garden has inspired other North Fork residents to follow his lead. Many yards in Orient now feature exotic 15-foot-high Basjoo banana plants and other reminders of the horticultural utopia that once was Oriental Gardens.
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