Landscape Designing

LANDSCAPE DESIGNING FRMT 325 Cr. Hr. 3(1+2)

Lesson 02:History Of Landscape Gardening In India

Buddhist Period

• The Buddha was born under the Asoka (Saraca indica) tree.
• During this period, gardens were laid out around the monasteries and stupas and there were beautiful gardens in Nalanda and Taxila, from about 300 B.C. onwards. The great gardens in India were built by Buddhist Monks.
• The Murals in the Ajanta caves, the quintessence of Buddhist art, which date back to 700 A.D. not only show the high level of art that was attained in that period, but also gives a glimpse of the life of common people in those times.
• The great emperor Asoka adopted arboriculture as one of his state policies. He encouraged the planting of avenue trees.
• Prince Mahendra son of emperor Asoka took a sapling of the great bodhitree (Ficus religiosa) and planted it at Anuradhapura in Srilanka.
• The Pipal was regarded as a sacred tree even before the birth of the Buddha

• The sculptures of the Kushan Period found at Mathura have such trees inscribed on them as Saraca indica, Kadamba, Ixora paroiflora, Michelia champaca and Meusa ferrea.
• Poet Asvaghosha in his Sundara Nanda mentioned about Mesua ferrea, Kadamba and Lotus. He also described nandanavanam in which the Buddha son flowering trees and lotuses.