insights into civilisations around the world. In Upper Egypt, there's evidence of gardens from 3000BC, while the creation of Chinese gardens dates from about 2000BC. The Persians had a sacred relationship with their gardens, with young Persian boys being given instruction on the planting of trees as part of their education. The Romans took their gardening techniques and culture to the furthest corners of the Empire.
From the time humans began to settle, they have created gardens. While nomads roamed with their herds, settlers cultivated the earth and grew food to eat. These plants had to be protected and fences had to be erected. These were the first gardens - places protected from the wilderness.
Gardens in different areas reflected weather, soil and water conditions and so gardens became differentiated by the plants grown, cultivation methods and later, the spiritual and cultural connections people had to their garden areas.
Different cultures around the world have developed diverse ways of using their gardens to express spiritual, cultural and purely aesthetic ideas. Gardens have been built to worship gods and royalty as well as to celebrate a love of plants and design.
There are so many different garden traditions that it's impossible to talk about them all here. So we've selected a few garden styles from around the world to show you how they reflect the cultures which produced them.
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