Egyptian Gardens

A SEMINAR ON LANDSCAPE
EGYPTIAN GARDENS
Sneh Soni
Javed Hussain
INTRODUCTION
 Gardens were much cherished in the ancient days and

were kept both for secular purposes and attached to
temple compounds.
 Garden produce made out important part of foodstuff

but flowers were also cultivated for use in garlands to
wear at festive occasions and for medicinal purposes.
 The ancient Egyptian garden would have looked
different to a modern viewer than a garden in our
days.
 It would have seemed more like a collection of herbs
or a patch of wild flowers, lacking the specially bred
flowers of today.
 Those who could afford to do so laid out gardens in

front of both their houses and tomb chapels.
 The gods were even to enjoy gardens and so almost

every temple was surrounded by lush greenery.
 It should also be noted that certain type of gardens

had religious symbolism.
 There were many symbolisms associated with trees,

including to specific gods such as Osiris,Nut,Isis and
Hathor.
The Papyrus and Lotus plant were symbolic to two

regions of lower and upper region.
VARIOUS SPECIES
 We know that the gardens often consisted of trees
flowers and other plants.
Popular trees included the sycamore fig,pomegranate,nut

trees and jujube.
There are about 18 varities of trees grown by the

egyptians.
 Flowers were also abundant, and included daisies,

cornflowers, mandrakes, roses, irises, myrtle, jasmine,
mignonettes, convolvulus, celosia, narcissus, ivy, lychnis,
sweet marjoram, henna, bay laurel, small yellow
chrysanthemums and poppies.
TYPES OF GARDENS
EGYPTIAN GARDENS IS DIFFERENTIATE INTO NINE
TYPES.
 HOUSE GARDEN
 FUNERAL GARDEN
 SACRED GARDEN
 FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GARDEN
 DOMESTIC GARDEN
 PALACE GARDEN
 TEMPLE AND TOMB GARDEN
HOUSE GARDENS
 In ancient egypt,the value of land was almost

prohibitives in cities and we have today no real
evidence of any garden in these locations.
Occasionally,a few trees were planted along the

sides of the house {tjoy},usually date palm
alternating with another species which can also be
grown in brick work container.
In the harem of Pharaoh Ay,a large court

surrounding the structure is surrounded the
structure is planted with a row of trees in mud
copings and on the farthermost side a kiosk on
columns support a wine{tomb of Neferhotep}
 However, in the country where the land was much

less expensive, the houses and palaces were set in a
large garden surrounded by a wall. Numerous
depictions in tombs show what might be considered
to be the standard type of garden.
 Typically, a symmetrical layout was used with a

rectangular or T-shaped pond in front of the house on
the main longitudinal axis.
 This garden would then be surrounded by rows of

trees of various species, possibly alternating in the
same rows.
 It was not uncommon to find a pergola bordering

the main alley along the axis or surrounding the pond.
 It should be noted that many times these ponds were

stocked with fish, and at times included exotic examples.
 Fruit trees have their leaves or branches supported on

the trelliswork of the pergolas.
 The shortest species of trees are planted nearest the

pond, while the tallest, such as doum palms and date
palms, are in the outside rows.
 This arrangement provided a graded perspective about

the center of the garden. Sometimes, there was more
than one pond.
FUNERAL GARDENS
Most of the depictions of funeral gardens are schematic in nature. They
are usually reduced to a T-shaped basin shown in plan on a background of
a few date palms.
Here, the origin of the peculiar plan of the basin may be investigated. It
is certain that the dead end of a canal, when shaped as a transverse
rectangular basin, would facilitate the mooring and circulation of boats.
On the other hand, the offering table for the presentation of funerary
offerings often assumed the shape of a T-slab, in the middle of which is a
deep basin.
Whether there is any real relation between the funerary T-shaped pond
and the offering table is uncertain. What is certain, however, is that even
in the beginning of the New Kingdom, the T-shaped plan had a symbolic
implication.
There were two T-shaped ponds flanking the central alley at the bottom of
the lower stairway in Hatshepsut's temple.
The location of the funerary garden has been the subject of controversy
but it can be safely assumed that some kind of small garden was
occasionally laid out in front of the tomb itself and that more often a
larger garden was laid out below on the riverbank, and probably also
near the portal of the tomb complex.
SACRED GARDENS
 Gardens on processional approaches to pylons, or in
front of the temple quay along the river, are also
represented in tombs. In the temple of Hatshepsut at
Deir el- Bahari, a garden with four ponds, papyrus,
flowers and vegetables is represented schematically.
 Such rare species are represented at Deir el-Bahari,

Medinet Habu and Karnak, but the representations of
these "botanical gardens", though fascinating due to
their innumerable exotic species, do not offer any clue
regarding their layout.
 Private chapels were erected by rich people in their

gardens at Amarna or on the bank of a river or canal,
and formed an important element in the layout, being
situated at the crossing of two axes or at the end of the
main axis.
 Often the chapel stands at the rear of

the enclosed garden on a higher terrace,
with a rectangular pond flanked by two
rows of sycamore trees, or what seems to
be two rows of tall jars surrounded by
climbing growth.
 T he formal layout of the Persian garden,

where an artificial pond mirrored the
glittering splendor of a rich facade beyond
it, had already been carried out to
perfection in Egypt, at least as early as the
New Kingdom.
FRUIT AND VEGETABLE

GARDEN
 IT IS SAID THAT THE EGYPTIANS WERE GOOD FOOD
CULTIVATORS.
 IN THE SHADOW OF THE PYRAMIDS, EGYPT DURING

THE OLD KINGDOM THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY
EQUAL TO 9 TENNIS COURTS SPACE WAS USED FOR
CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES AND FRUITS.
TYPES OF FRUITS THAT ARE CULTIVATED :

1. APPLE
2. ARGON PALM
3. COMMON FIG
4. DATE PALM EGYPTIAN PLUM
DOMESTIC GARDEN
 OPEN COURTS WERE USUALLY ON
THE NORTH SIDE OF DWELLINGS,
FOR SHADE.
 A POOL, RECTANGULAR OR T-
SHAPED, WAS THE FIRST LUXURY OF
SUCH A SPACE.
 WEALTHY FAMILIES WOULD HAVE
SEVERAL COURTS, SEVERAL POOLS
AND AREAS FOR DIFFERENT KINDS
OF PLANT.
 THE LIVING AREA WOULD OFTEN BE
SHADED BY A GRAPE VINE ON A
PERGOLA.
 GARDENS WITH POOLS OR CANALS
OFTEN HAD PAPYRUS GROWING
BESIDE THEM.
PALACE GARDEN
 Though larger, palace gardens were used in a similar manner to domestic

gardens. Most were built of mud brick and have disappeared.
Most were built of mud brick and have disappeared. A few were made in stone.
They were within temple complexes, including those of Ramesses II (the

Ramesseseum) and Ramessess III at MedinetHabu.
The physical setting of the more modern harem was very firmly focused inwards
towards the central open space which became the scene of the daily activities of
the harem-women. Here food was prepared, cosmetics applied, and the days and
evenings were spent singing, dancing and telling stories.
TEMPLE AND TOMB GARDEN

 Because they were made of stone, more is known about Egyptian
temples and tombs than about domestic buildings.
 Design historians sometimes distinguish temples and tombs but since

the pharaoh was both a god and a king it is more a matter of
emphasis than function. In the Old and Middle Kingdoms, the
mortuary role was emphasised.
 Small riverside temples were linked by ceremonial routes to pyramids

set in compounds.
CONCLUSION
 Really nothing can be found concerning the formal layout of gardens about
the landing quays of palaces or temples. However, it is fairly safe to
consider the data indicated by paintings and drawings to be relatively
exact. Landing quays were the initial approaches to the buildings from the
Nile, and they had to have benefited as much as, if not more than the
processional avenues from the decorative effects of a formal garden
layout. In a text from the reign of Ramesses II referencing the Temple of
Luxor's quay explains that, "A Wall was before it of stone over against
Thebes; it was flooded; and the gardens were planted with trees". These
are presumably the gardens on both sides of the quay walls. At least two
depictions of landing quays feature layouts of gardens.
 Today, and throughout history really, gardens have played a big part in the
lives of Egyptians. Gardens seem to have become a part of their being
doubtless as much because of the nearby barren desert and the need to
see life everywhere within that tiny strip of land which fosters life.

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A SEMINAR ON LANDSCAPE

 Gardens were much cherished in the ancient days and

 Garden produce made out important part of foodstuff

 Those who could afford to do so laid out gardens in

 The gods were even to enjoy gardens and so almost

 It should also be noted that certain type of gardens

 There were many symbolisms associated with trees,

The Papyrus and Lotus plant were symbolic to two

Popular trees included the sycamore fig,pomegranate,nut

There are about 18 varities of trees grown by the

 Flowers were also abundant, and included daisies,

 In ancient egypt,the value of land was almost

Occasionally,a few trees were planted along the

In the harem of Pharaoh Ay,a large court

 However, in the country where the land was much

 Typically, a symmetrical layout was used with a

 This garden would then be surrounded by rows of

 It was not uncommon to find a pergola bordering

 It should be noted that many times these ponds were

 Fruit trees have their leaves or branches supported on

 The shortest species of trees are planted nearest the

 This arrangement provided a graded perspective about

 Such rare species are represented at Deir el-Bahari,

 Private chapels were erected by rich people in their

 Often the chapel stands at the rear of

 T he formal layout of the Persian garden,

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE

 IN THE SHADOW OF THE PYRAMIDS, EGYPT DURING

TYPES OF FRUITS THAT ARE CULTIVATED :

 Though larger, palace gardens were used in a similar manner to domestic

They were within temple complexes, including those of Ramesses II (the

TEMPLE AND TOMB GARDEN

 Design historians sometimes distinguish temples and tombs but since

 Small riverside temples were linked by ceremonial routes to pyramids

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