Overview of Islamic Gardens: PERSIA

Examples of gardens during the Sassanian period (224-642 CE) show the development of earlier garden features while also introducing other attributes of the Persian-Islamic garden. One such example is the Imarat-i Khusraw complex near Kirmanshan built for Khusraw II Parviz. According to accounts by Arab historians the building was surrounded by a paradise garden which in turn was surrounded by a wall. There was another inner garden which contained a great pool and it is suggested, also made use of vistas again reflecting the evolving idea of the garden as meant to be viewed rather than used. Also evolving were the irrigation channels, or qanat lines, which continued to be a functional as well as decorative element. Not far from here is the Hawsh Kuri palace which has an avenue running from the east side of the palace to a pavilion believed to be positioned in a garden and another avenue running from the north side to the entrance of the large main garden. This main garden had additional pavilions offering views of the garden. Aside from the use of water and viewing pavilions the early Persian garden is also known for the variety of flower and plant life they contain, many of which grow naturally on the Persian landscape.

PERSIAN-ISLAMIC GARDENS:

Although most of the Persian-Islamic garden elements seem to have existed prior to the Islamic empire's control of Persia, the Muslims did contribute to it, mostly in the form of garden metaphors. One such contribution is the idea of the garden as Paradise. Paradise, or the gardens of heaven, are often depicted in Quranic verses like those mentioned by Brookes in which it's stated that the gardens of Paradise have fountains of running water, two kinds of every fruit, and couches from which the believers can rest and view this all from (p.11). This sort of description of Paradise comes up several times in the Quran so it seems only logical that Muslims, seeing that these elements exist in some form in Persian gardens, would incorporate them into the new Islamic gardens that purposefully represent their version of Paradise. In addition to this concept of the garden is also meant to be an oasis. The Arab-Muslims that conquered Persia were accustomed to a harsh desert life and very little water. The garden was meant as an escape from these realities of the outside world in addition to a protection

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