An ennobled oasis is a symbol of life and the main joy of a person living in a desert. I sometimes want to be in such an amazing garden to enjoy the lush greenery, dizzying aromas of bright exotic flowers, to feel the pleasant coolness of fountains sparkling in the sun and smoothly running streams. Moorish-style gardens are the direct heirs of the famous gardens of the ancient East. A striking representative of such natural places described in the Qur'an and created in the likeness of paradise places are the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, belonging to one of the wonders of the world.
Classic Moorish traditions
A feature of the Moorish-style gardens is luxury, pomposity and a magnificent riot of colors.
Moorish gardens are characterized by a desire for maximum splendor amid the need to save life-giving moisture
Principle # 1 - Fidelity to the laws of geometry
Moorish gardens are distinguished by a specific layout. The Moorish style originated in the nineteenth century and, in fact, is a kind of Muslim garden, the layout of which is based on the origins of the Muslim religion. The layout of the garden involves dividing the territory into the so-called "chor-bug", translated from Arabic, meaning "four gardens".
Symbolically, the "four gardens" represent the elements: air and fire, water and earth. Geometrically, they are represented by four sections decorated in the Moorish style - cozy corners buoying with greenery.
Externally, garden patches resemble open rooms, the walls of which are twined with marvelous flowers and vines.
Small areas, decorated with intricate mosaic patterns, are somewhat similar to exquisite galleries located in the open air. When arranging a garden on a plot with a slope, the basic elements are designed in the form of geometrically regular terraces.
But unlike the regular style in the Moorish gardens, a well-balanced geometric plan successfully combines with the natural riot of vegetation, creating an amazingly picturesque picture. The clear lines that the man’s hand gave to the garden are brightened by the riot of lushly flowering plants.
Principle # 2 - water is sacred
Water in Muslim philosophy is of utmost importance. She is sacred because she gives life to everything. Thus, the Garden of Eden described in the Qur'an is divided by four rivers into four sections. In the Moorish gardens created in his likeness, they try to place water sources so that water flows through specially created channels on four sides of the garden.
The central place in the garden is occupied by the fountain, and the water flowing from it fills the territory into four equal squares with directed currents
The jets of water in the fountain do not hit with pressure, but quietly murmur and flow gently along the sides. After all, water is a sacred gift of heaven, and it can not be wasted. The pool or pond is also made small in size, trying to save the cost of life-giving moisture.
The option of placing fountains inside each of the four courtyards is possible. But even in this case, the sources are arranged so that from every corner of the garden a view of the water opens, and the jets flow smoothly down to four different cardinal points. The fountain may take the form of a cup, jug or vase.
The bottom of the reservoir is decorated with colorful tiles, drawing attention to the "heart" of the garden, and the outer walls with mosaics from Muslim stars
They surround the ponds with wide stone borders or plank flooring, which is convenient to sit on, enjoying the cool moisture.
Principle # 3 - Having a Patio
A mandatory element of the Moorish-style garden is the patio. And it does not matter whether it is adjacent to the house or located in the very center of the garden. The main thing is closeness and opacity for a prying eyes, in order to enjoy harmony with nature only the owners of the house and their guests could. The role of the site fence can be performed by densely planted tall shrubs and trees.
Such a garden looks especially impressive against the background of the house, the walls of which have a slightly rough structure, and the exterior is made in bright colors.
The hot climate forced people to create shadow curtains, pavilions and arbors, giving coolness to the scorching heat. On the open area, a spacious awning with a domed roof made of light fabric of "oriental" colors can be placed, under the arches of which garden furniture is placed.
To emphasize the coloring and luxury of the Moorish garden will allow the sofa set under an awning, decorated with colorful and colorful pillows
Marble benches, framed by decorative shrubs, have a pleasant rest and philosophical thoughts.
Free patio areas are filled with paving of colorful tiles and stones. Near-tree circles of trees, arches with climbing plants and flower beds form colored mosaics, making them look more advantageous and picturesque.
In such a garden you will never meet statues with figures of animals and faces of people - they are forbidden by the Muslim religion.
To design transitions from various parts of the garden, trellises, pergolas and arches twined with greenery of climbing plants are used.
Prospects leading from the center of the composition end with gates, vaulted niches or semicircular arches.
Principle # 4 - specific gardening rules
The presence of a reservoir in the garden contributes to the creation of a special atmosphere in which even the most finicky exotic plants feel comfortable. Shrubs and trees without emergency need not be sheared, allowing them to fill the space between ponds and paths.
The rose garden is the main decoration of the Moorish garden. When choosing flowers for the rosary, special attention is paid not only to coloring, but also to the aroma of blooming buds that create an enchanting fragrant ensemble in a "paradise".
They have rosaries in the immediate vicinity of water bodies, creating unique compositions of dizzying aromas
The springs are also decorated with elegant water lilies and spectacular climbing plants.
Figs and pomegranates are symbols of the oriental garden. They decorate the entrance to the site, planted along the tracks, around the perimeter of the sites. An alternative to these trees can be magnolias, peaches and almonds, which are not inferior in exotics to the decorative qualities, but feel more comfortable in our latitudes. Vertical landmarks in the garden will create cherries, apricots and apple trees.
Fragrant citrus fruits planted in floor containers will bring the necessary eastern atmosphere to the site
When choosing trees for garden design, preference is given to varieties having a rounded and pyramidal crown shape.
Gardening of the Moorish garden is impossible to imagine without a mixborder. For its arrangement, poppies, crocuses, daffodils, lilies, lavender and other flowering plants are perfect. They are selected in such a way as to ensure continuity of flowering throughout the season. Spicy herbs, which often adorn eastern gardens, will also find their place in the flower garden.
Well, and how to do without the famous Moorish lawn, which looks like a Persian patterned carpet
The elegant decoration of the Moorish lawn is fragrant herbs and colorful wildflowers: marigolds, flax, feverfew, cornflowers, small daisies, and nemesia. Most of the plants that make up the mixtures for lawns attract butterflies and bees with their aroma, bringing a special oriental flavor to the site.
Rules for Creating a Moorish Garden
In our latitudes, the arrangement of Moorish gardens has become a fairly popular area of landscape design.
You can create a paradise even on a site with a small area, choosing flowering plants for its decoration that can grow in the garden as naturally as possible, without requiring a mandatory haircut
The Moorish landscape style, created on the basis of the Islamic religion, has its own philosophy. There are no strict requirements for the base landscape, but when creating a garden, it is advisable to adhere to a number of basic rules:
- Garden geometry. The layout of the garden involves dividing into zones and using shapes that have the correct geometric shape when arranging the territory.
- Water source availability. The central place in the garden is given to a fountain or a small reservoir. The source should be located so that the water is visible from any corner of the garden.
- Selection and combination of plants. To decorate the garden, plants with beautiful foliage and lush flowers are chosen. Plants in the areas are planted in small groups, forming from them a "living" oriental patterns.
- Paving tracks. Free areas of the garden are filled with paving made of tiles laid in a checkerboard pattern. Quite often paths and paths are laid out with a mosaic of oriental motifs.
By creating a picturesque “oasis” with flowering trees in your area, you will bring the delightful multicolor of the East to your daily life.
