Although the gardens of roman, medieval, and islamic culture all share a preoccupation with religion, there is a marked difference in the way each incorporates it into the space of the garden. As discussed in class, Roman garden's were sacro-religious, in the sense that there was an inclusion of divine dietiese that related directly to the garden and outdoor activities. Roman gardens usually had statues of Gods, but mainly those like Venus, who directly related to the culture of Gardens. On a larger scale, Roman Garden's were not as strictly religious as those of the medieval monks or Islamic culture. This may be because of their general flourishing as a culture. They certainly contributed some of their success to piety, but gardens did not need to be another opportunity for them to show their religious commitment. Instead, Roman gardens were more representative of the idea of Otium, which is withdrawing from daily responsibilities to focus on liesure and creative pursuits. the first picture i have linked to below shows how Roman gardens were more for liesure than piety, and this is reflected in their aesthetically pleasing layout that is largely free of religious connotations. On the other hand, the medieval ages were less "glorious" and there was a resulting focus on the importance of religion. Monastic gardens became another way to connect with god, moreso than the gardens of the romans. For this reason, the layout of medieval gardens directly related to religion. There were often evergreen trees and four paths to symbolize the garden of eden. This focus on religion within the garden reflects the lack of liesure that religious life consisted of. Unlike the romans, who's gardens were much more aesthetically pleasing, monastic gardens were to continue one's religious work. The second photo I've included highlights the utilitatirian design of medieval gardens, which allowed monks to work outside but still maintain their sense of discipline. It also highlights the religious setup present in the intersecting paths and fountain in the middle. Like the monks of medieval time, islamic people also used the garden to create a sense of an earthly religious haven. Muslims made their gradens in such a way that it was meant to literally create heaven on earth. The garden was not merely a liesurely escape, but was a paradise of the afterlife. This is echoed by the four intersecting water streams, which was also part of medieval gardens. the last photo i've included shows the way an islamic paradies builds a sense of heavenly paradise, through similar features of water and plants.
http://ih1.redbubble.net/image.8036165.4321/flat,550x550,075,f.jpg
http://www.medieval-castle.com/medieval_garden/medieval_garden_aerial_700.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Ghavam_garden_shiraz.jpg/800px-Ghavam_garden_shiraz.jpg
