Gardens/Comparison of Landscape Design Topologies

¶ … Gardens/Comparison of Landscape Design Topologies

Architectural comparison:

The Shalimar Garden of Kashmir, India vs. Blithewold, Bristol, RI

The name of the Shalimar Garden of Kashmir, India is translated as the 'Abode of Love.' It was founded by the Emperor Jahangir and his wife, Nur Jahan in the 6th century ("The Shalimar Garden of Kashmir, India," 2011, Garden Visit). The garden's design has been characterized as a variation of the uniform Persian chahar bagh layout. These gardens are symmetrical in design, planned around a water centerpiece. Four streams coming from the source provide the organizing design of the garden. To adapt the design to the local, mountainous topography, the central water fountain is given emphasis, and the channels coming forth from the water are proportionately reduced in size to create centrality of focus upon the interior ("Shalimar Gardens," Arch Net, 2011).

Over the centuries, the garden has been altered. Its first incarnation featured two private separate gardens, one for the emperor and the other for ladies of the court ("The Shalimar Garden of Kashmir, India," 2011, Garden Visit). Now, however, there are three levels: The central water canal of the garden unites the three terraces with sycamore tree-lined fountains. At the top of the garden, the water canal runs through each pavilion in the garden and at each terrace, "the canal flows into a larger pool, highlighting its baradari. Within the Shalimar Bagh, each of the three terraces had a different function and level of privacy: a public garden (first terrace), a private garden, also called the Emperor's Garden (second terrace) and the zenana (harem) garden, on the third terrace" ("Shalimar Gardens," Arch Net, 2011). When they visited these public gardens, Westerners were often asked to stay in the marble pavilion near during the reign of Ranjit Singh ("Shalimar Gardens," Arch Net, 2011).

"The site of Shalimar seems to have been ideally suited to a garden; it contained a natural canal, and a small nearby spring-fed stream was diverted to the garden site to provide continuous running water" ("Shalimar Gardens," Arch Net, 2011). Similarly, the Blithewold Gardens, located in Bristol, RI, were specifically constructed to take advantage of the garden's proximity to water in the form of Narragansett Bay. Within its 33 acres, Blithewold contains several garden types, including a rock garden, a rose garden, a display garden, a garden designed for celebrations and functions, and its water garden and rock garden located near the shore.

Thus, another similarity Blithewold shares with Shalimar is the fact that it is segmented based upon the intended functionality of the design of the garden. For example, "the more formal North Garden whose lush, deep borders are the background for weddings and other social functions" ("Blithewold Gardens," Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum, 2009). The North Garden is designed to showcase the human beings that inhabit it. In contrast, the Water Garden is designed as a place of solitary reflection.