Modern-Day Gardens of Eden
Imagine the colors, scents and mystery of nature re-ordered and designed by the wit and hand of mankind. Gardens are the nearest impression of paradise and are havens of peaceful tranquility! Within “The Garden of Eden”, one can imagine existing within this paradise of plump fruits, crisp vegetables, pristine greens, vibrant grasses, bountiful grains and exotically fragrant flowers of all species. This biblical paradise of beauty in which God places man and woman to live harmoniously with nature surely cannot be compared to our more manicured modern day worldly gardens. Throughout history, gardens have been an integral part of human life.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, near present-day Al Hillah (Babil) in Iraq, are considered to be one of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. They are often referred to as The Hanging Gardens of Semiramis, who for the ancient Greeks was the legendary Assyrian Queen of Babylon. She was not only revered for her natural beauty, but for her exquisite flower gardens. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built by King Nebuchadnezzar II around 600BC. It is reported that he constructed the gardens to please his homesick wife, who longed for the trees and fragrant plants of her homeland Persia. To this day, there is some controversy as to whether the Hanging Gardens were an actual physical creation or a poetic creation due to the lack of documentation of them in the chronicles of Babylonian history. However there are many written accounts of them found in the ancients writings by Greek historians.
It's easy to get carried away in the scent of any of the below "Modern Day Gardens of Eden"
Great Dixter Gardens (Southeast England, UK)
Palm House at Kew Gardens (London, UK)
Chateau de Versailles Gardens (Paris, FR)
Wisley Garden (London, UK)
Crathes Castle Gardens (Scotland, UK)
Monet’s Gardens (Northeast France, FR)
The Summer Palace (Beijing, China)
The Huntington Botanical Gardens (Los Angeles, CA)
Hestercombe Gardens (Taunton, UK)
Minter Gardens (Chilliwack, Canada)
In Greek mythology, the Hesperides are nymphs who tended the blissful gardens in the Garden of the Hesperides in Hera’s orchard in the west, where a grove of immortality-giving golden apples grew. The apples were planted from the fruited branches that Gaia gave to Hera as a wedding gift when Hera accepted Zeus. They are sometimes called the Western Maidens, the Daughters of Evening, and the Sunset Goddesses, all apparently tied to their imagined location in the distant far corners of the West. If only we could all be garden nymphs…………………
Journey with Inner Life Travel to the top ten "Modern-Day Gardens of Eden” – each one is a magnificent and unique eden to enjoy the glory of nature! There are so many types of gardens, from formal in the traditional French style, natural gardens in the English fashion, and harmonious manicured parks in the traditions of India, China and Japan. The juxtaposition of flowers and plants, rocks and streams, trees and grasses - each grouping can enhance the sum of their parts.
For details on booking a personal journey experience in the senses of smell, sight and touch to a modern-day garden of your choice, contact Liz Bates at Inner Life Travel via email:
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