Biblical garden – a review, characteristics and definition based on twenty years of research

Abstract

Biblical gardens have existed in the public space for almost 80 years, and yet still up to this moment no scientific definition of this type of garden layout has been developed, nor has any detailed characterization of them been published. Multifaceted, interdisciplinary research carried out in the years 1996-2017 made it possible to gather detailed data pertaining to 63 biblical gardens all over the world, primarily including the oldest ones. The fundamental characteristics of existing sites were determined on the basis of these results, including their naming in different languages, presentation through a logo and motto, plant selection along with the manner of its presentation, the symbols that they employ, street and garden furniture being used and the arrangements of miniature landscapes. An in-depth analysis of the material that had been gathered made it possible to formulate a scientific definition of a biblical garden as a specific type of greenery arrangement. The specifics of biblical gardens lie in the fact that they possess significant semantic value and are an illustration of the sacred texts of the Bible, one of the greatest works of literature. Various artistic works are being used in their arrangement, in addition to modern forms of design, which highlight sensory values through referring to the senses: sight, touch, hearing, smell and taste.

The Seven Plant Species - A Basis of Nutrition of Ancient Israel

“…The vital importance of these seven plant species to this territory is attested in the biblical description of the Promised Land that had been prepared for the Israelites: "For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper" (Deuteronomy 8:7-9). The presence of the seven species is an indispensable element of the biblical gardens, founded worldwide since 1940 as a way of popularizing biblical content by displaying plants mentioned in the Bible [5,6].…”

Biblical Gardens in Word Culture: Genesis and History

“…Apart from the function carried out by all other green areas within and outside the urban landscape, these gardens have also a highly developed semantic layer. Therefore, they can have the learning or even the contemplative function (Włodarczyk 2014(Włodarczyk , 2018. The Biblical garden arrangement is based on Old and New Testament texts, in which plants are mentioned (Włodarczyk 2004).…”

“…This garden attribute is particularly appreciated in cities, where the garden becomes a perfect place to rest for people, and an enclave of life for birds and micro-fauna. Arrangements in Biblical gardens are rich in symbolic elements, the meaning of which has been recently erased, while understanding them again makes it possible to highlight the wealth of culture and tradition (Włodarczyk 2018).…”