The era of antiquity with its architecture, art, and sciences ended its existence at the end of the 4th century. A new time has come - the era of feudalism, or the Middle Ages (5th–15th centuries).
During the Middle Ages, the formation of European states, constant internecine wars, and uprisings took place. It was at this time that Christianity was established. Slavery gave way to the feudal system.
The history of medieval architecture is divided into three periods:
1) early medieval (4th–9th centuries);
2) Romanesque (10th–12th centuries);
3) Gothic (late 12th–14th centuries).
Architecture, art, especially park construction, are very vulnerable and require a peaceful environment for their existence, therefore, in conditions of unrest in the world, especially in Europe, the development of landscape art is suspended. The size of gardens is sharply reduced, internal gardens appear within monasteries and at castles, where they like
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then safety from destruction is guaranteed. It was the inner garden that became the only link between the city dweller and nature.In inner garden They grew ornamental and fruit plants, as well as medicinal herbs. The trees grew in even rows and were mostly of local origin, with some exotic ones too.
The orchards were surrounded by deciduous trees (linden, ash, poplar) around the perimeter for protection.
The prototype of modern flower beds were regular beds with medicinal and ornamental plants: mallow, wormwood, sage, tea, poppy, Bogorodskaya grass, rue, etc. The formation of the beds was in the form of prisms. Their slopes were strengthened with turf, poles or wickerwork.
In the Middle Ages the following appeared main types gardening facilities :
- monastery gardens;
- castle gardens;
- university gardens;
First botanical gardens at academic centers.
IN monastery gardens often two cross-shaped intersecting paths divided them into four parts. In the center of the intersection, a cross was installed or a rose bush was planted in memory of the martyrdom of Christ. Gardens at monasteries had a utilitarian purpose. Aesthetic issues were usually relegated to the background.
The enclosed courtyard inside the monastery, where ornamental plants were grown, was called a cloister.
Castle gardens served for relaxation and meetings, were arranged with decorative elements and were small in size.
Small indoor garden areas have led to the emergence of a new technique - labyrinth – a section of specially entangled garden paths, separated by trimmed greenery (Figure 4). He fit into some geometric shape, usually a square or hexagon.
The technique was borrowed from the builders of temples, who laid out a mosaic pattern on the floor, leading along complex paths, like labyrinthine paths, to the center of the hall. Crawling along such a pattern on their knees, pilgrims imagined that they were making a distant pilgrimage. Subsequently, this idea was transferred to the garden.
The late Middle Ages are characterized by the development of science and the opening of the first universities (in Paris, Oxford, etc.). Reached
High level of development of botany and horticulture. The first began to appear botanical gardens, opened to the general public already in the Renaissance.
Figure 4 – Example of a labyrinth (photo from engraving)
So, features of landscape gardening art of the Middle Ages in central Europe the following:
Simplicity and geometric layout of internal gardens;
Development of a new technique - a labyrinth;
The emergence of the beginnings of botanical gardens and preparations for their opening to the general public by the first half of the 15th century.
Hispano-Moorish (Arab) gardens
Important role Education in the 7th century played a role in the development of world landscape art. The Arab Caliphate, which united the conquered lands of Palestine, Syria, Iran, Egypt, Iraq and Spain.
Social conditions. Muslim art of the East is distinguished by majestic monumentality, schematism and abstraction.
In the early period of development of Islamic architecture, the premises of mosques, religious educational institutions and other buildings were grouped around a large courtyard decorated with covered galleries. The most famous masterpieces of landscape art that have survived
to this day, are the gardens in Spain.
The Arabs applied the experience of Egypt and Rome in constructing irrigation structures and created a powerful hydraulic system where they used the melting snow on the mountain peaks, turning waterless Spain into a flourishing land.
Formed in Spain new type garden - Spanish-Moorish (patio).
It resembles a garden medieval monastery and the atrium-peristyle garden of Ancient Rome. Patio was small sizes– from 200 to 1200 m2, surrounded by the walls of a house or a high stone fence and was a continuation of the premises under open air. His plan was distinguished by strict regularity. The main decorative elements were pools, canals, and miniature fountains. Much attention was paid to paving, due to the hot climate of Spain, which did not allow the use of lawn. The paving on the patio was two-color, organized by river or sea pebbles. Majolica (colored tiles) was used. The bottom and edges of reservoirs were lined with it, retaining walls and benches. The main colors are blue, green, yellow, as if softening the heat.
Natural conditions. The climate is hot and arid, which forced the use of irrigation. Frequent dry winds, sand, and dust provided the basis for the construction of powerful walls around it.
Vegetation . Preference was given to evergreen species (boxwood, myrtle), which formed trimmed hedges or borders. They grew thujas, laurels, oleanders, almonds, orange and tangerine trees, and cypresses. The walls of buildings in cool colors served as a good backdrop for lemon trees and jasmine.
The flowers didn't play decisive role in landscaping. They were mainly valued for their aromatic properties. Rose and jasmine were especially popular. Wisterias, magnolias, agave, irises, daffodils, and mallows were widely used.
Water and its meaning. Paradise is identified with an ideal garden and its abundance of water. It usually reached the edge of the reservoir and even overflowed. The correct shape of a container with water in the center of the garden or at the intersection of paths symbolized stability.
The location of the garden was always chosen taking into account the source of water.
Fountains were initially used as filters to purify water from insect larvae, but later, when the variability of flowing water was appreciated, they began to be used for the pleasure of the eyes, and the noise - “as music for the ears.”
Water devices of Spanish-Moorish gardens are divided into types:
- channels,
- narrow streams,
- swimming pools,
- fountains.
The specific features of the gardens of this time are:
Compositional relationship between the architecture of the building and the gardens;
Lack of common axial structure.
The interior is so fused with the courtyards that it is not always clear whether the visitor is inside or outside. This is achieved by the fact that the transition from the house to the garden was decorated with arches, and the gardens and interiors were decorated with identical plants.
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Library of the Swiss Monastery of St. Gall was included in the list of UNESCO monuments in 1983. About 2,000 medieval manuscripts are kept here, but only one of them prompted the inclusion of the library on the UNESCO list - the earliest plan of a medieval monastery that has survived to this day. Here he is: 
Created in 819-826, the unique plan has been perfectly preserved to this day. Its purpose still remains a mystery. As experts suggest, most likely it was not a recording of the real state of affairs in the monastery, but some kind of ideal model for imitation. There are 333 inscriptions on the plan, allowing you to identify in detail all parts of the monastery: the cathedral, garden, school, services, etc. 
This copy of the plan shows all the "garden" parts of the monastery:
X is a vegetable garden, “under” which is the gardener’s house, Y is an orchard combined with a cemetery, Z is a garden of medicinal plants.
Thanks to the inscriptions, we can find out what grew in each of them.
In the garden of medicinal plants - sage, watercress, rue, caraway, iris, lovage, pennyroyal, fennel, peas, marsilia, costo (?), fenegreca (?), rosemary, mint, lilies and roses.
IN orchard- apples, pears, plums, mistletoe, bay, chestnuts, figs, quinces, peaches, hazelnuts, amendelarius (?), mulberries and walnuts.
In the arcaded courtyard adjacent to the cathedral (cloister), divided into four parts by paths, juniper grew.
And on this wonderful website http://www.stgallplan.org/en/index.html you can see the most the smallest details plan and read (using the transcript and English translation) all 333 inscriptions! And of course, learn a lot more about the plan of the monastery of St. Gall.
Landscape art of the Middle Ages. Monastery gardens and medieval regular parksLandscape art of the Middle Ages The Renaissance of the 14th-16th centuries became a definite milestone in the formation of landscape art. An abundance of sculptures appeared in the parks of that era, entire sculptural alleys were created, and artificial reservoirs. In the 17th century, classic regular parks with straight ribbons of numerous paths were in fashion. And around the same time, in Europe the concepts of “garden” and “park” began to be separated. Gardens began to be used more for privacy and relaxation, and parks became venues for various celebrations with big amount of people. Theatrical performances, concerts, and special celebrations were held in the parks. In the Middle Ages, the main role in setting up gardens was played by monasteries, which owned vast lands with forests, fields and meadows. Behind the monastery wall were hidden entire landscape masterpieces: decorative Orchard, vegetable garden with beds rectangular shape and, hidden from prying eyes, a heavenly courtyard. The monks cultivated all kinds of plants, primarily they grew medicinal plants and valuable plant species. Paradise Court was a must integral part monastery complex. There was a real sense of nature here, nurtured by the tradition of the biblical paradise. When the monks worked in the garden, it was believed that they were purifying their souls with an earthly vision of the lost Garden of Eden. What did the courtyard of heaven look like? It was inner space quadrangular in shape, with a source in the center clean water most often, it was a tank for clean water or a well; Sometimes there was a pool for growing fish. The territory of the paradise courtyard was divided by paths to the source into four sections of regular shape. Very rarely, low trees or bushes were planted here; as a rule, flowers to decorate the monastery church and medicinal herbs were grown in the carefully cultivated beds of the paradise courtyard. Since ancient times, each flower has had its own symbolic meaning. For example, a white lily symbolized the purity of the Virgin Mary, a red rose symbolized the shed blood of Christ, White Rose-queen of heaven -Mary, etc. Garden and wildflowers grew in the flowerbeds. We can admire the natural beauty of plants, especially flowers, captured by the masters of the Middle Ages, looking at those preserved in Gothic monasteries wall paintings, on icons, manuscripts and embroideries. An ancient indoor garden, depending on the type of planting and purpose, was called: herbarium - a garden specialized in growing medicinal herbs or flowers; gardinum – kitchen garden with vegetable beds and roots, if possible, in combination with an orchard; viridarium – a garden for relaxation and entertainment (recreatione et solatio). The decorative orchard had only one function: here one could admire the blooming fruit trees and walked in their shade, often along the banks of a river, pool or pond. The first herbarium with the character of a botanical garden appeared in 1333 in Venice, and soon a similar botanical garden appeared in Prague. Not only palace complexes had their own gardens, but also city secular buildings with own plot land, more extensive gardens were laid out in cities. Some information about what they looked like secular gardens at the houses of the nobility and medieval cities come from poetry, literature, minstrelsy and troubadour songs. Illuminated miniatures and manuscripts contain descriptions of the composition, atmosphere and details of late Gothic gardens. It is safe to say that these gardens have always had a fence, stone walls often supplemented by turrets with pavilions, sometimes by a moat with water. Stone, plank or brick paths were laid between the rectangular beds. Among the beds with vegetables and roots, as a rule, they did not forget to create beds with plants for: repelling insects, preparing a “love potion,” and also making poisons. Images of landscape parks are found in medieval paintings. Covered with turf, the low wall was a kind of medieval garden bench. In the middle of the garden there was usually a stone well or fountain with drinking water, sometimes with a swimming pool, as well as a tank for watering plants and a stone table for food. Evergreen trees and bushes were trimmed regularly, giving them fancy shapes and placed in stone vases. Occasionally in the garden there were labyrinths, the ornament of which was created from low bush, the drawing of which led to the center in complex ways. The living labyrinth was made in the likeness of the patterns on the stone floors of Gothic cathedrals. City gardens were an integral part of the knights' way of life, accompanied by gallant courtship, music and dance. In some gardens that belonged to wealthy owners, colorful birds flew freely, and noble peacocks often walked around. In the copper garden enclosures lived not only warblers, blackbirds and starlings, but also pheasants and wood grouse. In Europe, by the end of the 18th century, the fashionable regular direction of landscapes was replaced by landscape painting, which came from the East. Public parks have become closer to natural nature. The routes of the paths began to be thought out in such a way as to combine places with the most beautiful views. In conclusion, it should be noted that the change in fashion and styles, in any country, did not occur spontaneously. Styles seemed to be layered on top of each other, new trends gradually replaced older trends.
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Monastery Gardens
In the Middle Ages, the main role in setting up gardens was played by monasteries, which owned vast lands with forests, fields and meadows. Behind the monastery wall were hidden: a decorative orchard, a utilitarian vegetable garden with small rectangular beds and, hidden from prying eyes, a heavenly courtyard. Based on modern knowledge and the experience of previous cultures, the monks cultivated all kinds of plants, first of all, they grew medicinal plants and cultivated vegetable gardens.
Paradise Court
The Paradise courtyard was an obligatory component of the monastery complex.
There was a real sense of nature here, nurtured by the tradition of the biblical paradise. When the monks worked in the garden, it was believed that they were purifying their souls with an earthly vision of the lost Garden of Eden. The Paradise Courtyard is a quadrangular-shaped interior space enclosed by an ambita with a covered arcade. This type of garden has its counterparts in the Roman peristyle. In the center there was a source of clean water most often, it was a clean water tank or a well; sometimes a pool was set up there to raise fish used for preparing Lenten Christian food. The territory of the paradise courtyard was divided by paths to the source into four sections of regular shape. Very rarely, low trees or bushes were planted here; as a rule, flowers to decorate the monastery church and medicinal herbs were grown in the carefully cultivated beds of the paradise courtyard. Since ancient times, each flower has had its own symbolic meaning. For example, it symbolized the purity of the Virgin Mary, a red rose - the shed blood of Christ, a white rose - the queen of heaven - Mary, etc. Other field and garden flowers. We can admire the natural beauty of plants, especially flowers, captured by medieval masters, by looking at wall paintings, icons, manuscripts and embroideries preserved in Gothic monasteries.
An ancient indoor garden or part of it, depending on the type of planting and purpose, was called: herbarium - a garden specialized in growing medicinal herbs or flowers; gardinum - kitchen garden with vegetable beds and roots, if possible combined with an orchard; viridarium (no longer just a monastery) - a garden for recreation and entertainment (recreatione et solatio). A decorative orchard had only one function: here one could admire flowering fruit trees and walk in their shade, often along the banks of a river, pool or pond.
The first herbarium with the character of a botanical garden appeared in 1333 in Venice, and soon Prague had a similar botanical garden.
Secular gardens of the Middle Ages
Own garden plots they had not only palace complexes, but also other city secular buildings with their own plot of land, more extensive gardens were laid out during hailstorms.
Some information about what secular gardens looked like in the houses of the nobility and medieval towns comes from poetry, literature, minstrelsy and troubadour songs. Illuminated miniatures and manuscripts contain descriptions of the composition, atmosphere and details of late Gothic gardens. These gardens always had a fence; stone walls were often supplemented with turrets with pavilions, and sometimes with a moat with water. Stone, plank or brick ones were laid between the rectangular beds. Among the beds with vegetables and roots, as a rule, they did not forget to create beds with plants for: repelling insects, preparing a “love potion,” and also making poisons.
Images of landscape parks are already found in medieval paintings.
Covered with turf, the low wall was a kind of medieval one. In the middle of the garden there was usually a stone well or iron fountain for drinking water, sometimes with a pool for bathing, as well as a tank for watering plants and a stone table for food.
Even then, evergreen trees and bushes were trimmed, giving them bizarre shapes and placed in stone vases.
Occasionally in the garden there were labyrinths, the ornament of which was created from low bushes, the design of which led to the center in complex ways. was carried out in the likeness of patterns on the stone floors of Gothic cathedrals.
City gardens were invariably an integral part of the knights' way of life, accompanied by gallant courtship, music and dance. In some gardens that belonged to wealthy owners, colorful birds flew freely, and noble peacocks often walked around. In the copper garden enclosures lived not only warblers, blackbirds and starlings, but also pheasants and wood grouse.
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Question 1
Egypt. The layout is geometric. The gardens are enclosed by walls. Grapes were sure to grow. Cities: Thebes, Akhetaten. There were lotuses in the gardens. The gardens had square plans with a symmetrical layout. The buildings were located on the axis of the gardens. There are alleys along the perimeter of the garden. The paths were only straight. In the gardens there are images (sculptures) of gods and sphinxes. Plants: palm trees, figs, sycamore (ficus), lotus, papyrus. Ponds had several functions: decorative, breeding fish and animals. There was a hydration system.
Countries of Mesopotamia. Plants: palm trees, pine needles, grapes.
The device is similar to the Egyptian one. Features: High platforms, hanging gardens, zakkurat - a multi-stage religious building in ancient Mesopotamia, typical of Sumerian, Assyrian, Babylonian and Elamite architecture.
Question 2
Gardens Ancient Greece They were distinguished by their subtle grace, noble style, unsurpassed taste, and sublime atmosphere. A striking feature of Greek gardens in the 10th-8th centuries BC was the use of complex mountainous terrain to construct terraces. Also " landscape design" of that time entered world history landscape art with its unique sculptures and small architectural forms, rightfully considered masterpieces of art. The pools, balustrades, colonnades, baths were surrounded by palm trees, plane trees, laurels, cypress trees, orange, olive and pistachio trees. Heroons or sacred groves of heroes are a type of urban gardens laid out specifically in honor of prominent heroes or founders of the city. Philosophical gardens are another type of public garden in Ancient Greece. For example, Epicurus, a pessimistic philosopher, founded his school in such a garden, where he gave lectures to the public. Then he donated this philosophical garden to Athens. Hippodromes are gardens for competitions dedicated to the gods. Gymnasiums are gardens in which great attention was paid physical education offspring. Their main element was a lawn made of clipped acanthus. Such gardens were decorated with ponds, gazebos, sculptures, altars, and were surrounded on all sides by dense groves. A type of gymnasium is an academy (it originated in the grove of the mythical hero Akademos). Nymphaeums are gardens, the center of which was a body of water (could also be a waterfall) with an altar for making sacrifices to the nymphs. Greek gardens contained an incredible amount of flowers, idolized by the Greeks. They held the carnation and rose in special esteem.
Question 3
Gardens in Ancient Rome (lat. hortii) were created under the influence of ancient Egyptian, Persian and ancient Greek gardening techniques.
Private Roman gardens were usually divided into three parts. The first is xist (lat. xystus) - open terrace, which was connected to the house by a portico. Second part - ambulation- was a garden with flowers, trees and served for walks and contemplation. The third part - gestation- was an alley.
Ancient Roman gardens used complex hydraulic structures- artificial ponds and fountains.
Various versions of the design of Roman gardens were used in Roman settlements in Africa and Britain.
The design principles of Roman gardens were later used in the landscape gardening art of the Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassicism.
Common features medieval gardens Europe and the Middle East.
Features of landscape gardening art of the Middle Ages.
1. Simplicity and geometric layout of internal gardens.
2. Development of a new technique - a labyrinth.
3. Feudal type of synthesis of arts, i.e. suppression of the peculiarities inherent in each type of art, subordination to the general idea.
4. Symbolism of gardens.
5. The emergence of the beginnings of botanical gardens and preparations for their opening to the general public.
Landscape art medieval Europe. Features of the monastery gardens.
Monastery gardens. Herbal medicinal and ornamental plants. The layout was simple, regular style with a pool and fountain in the center. Two crosswise intersecting paths divided the garden into 4 parts; in the center of this intersection, in memory of the death of Christ, a cross was erected or a rose bush was planted. Grown in the garden fruit trees And medicinal plants. Trees were placed in even rows, and medicinal plants were placed in rectangular beds - prototypes of modern flower beds. To protect the perimeter of the garden, it was surrounded by deciduous tree barriers made of linden, ash and poplar - prototypes of modern garden protective plantings. Gardens at monasteries were of a utilitarian nature. In the 15th century These gardens began to be decorated with trellis gazebos and hedges, equipped with turf benches in the form of protrusions on the fence and small fountains, and flowers appeared in them. Many of these gardens were already intended for recreation. Trellis- a wooden or metal lattice that acts as a frame and support for climbing plants. It can improve the microclimatic conditions on the site, provide end-to-end division of space, direct the movement of transitions in the desired direction, and serve as a frame for organizing whists. Vista- view, narrow perspective, directed towards some prominent element of the landscape. Includes a viewpoint, a frame (usually a curtain of plants) and a culminating object of observation that completes the vista (an architectural structure, a monument, a lake, a hill, a tree of unusual shape and color, a sunlit clearing at the end of a clearing or a shaded alley, etc. ). Castle gardens. They were located on the territory of castles and were used for recreation and meetings. These gardens were small and enclosed. Flowers were grown here, there was a source - a well, sometimes a miniature pool and fountain, and almost always a bench in the form of a ledge covered with turf. This technique later became widespread in parks. In these gardens, the technique of constructing a labyrinth was first formed, which took a strong place in subsequent park construction. Initially, the labyrinth was a pattern, the design of which fit into a circle or hexagon and led to the center in complex ways. IN early middle ages this drawing was laid out on the floor of the temple, and later transferred to the garden, where the paths were separated by the walls of a trimmed hedge. Subsequently, labyrinth gardens became widespread in regular and even landscape parks and have not lost their relevance to the present day. The later Middle Ages were characterized by the development of science, the opening of the first universities and the creation of university gardens, which differed little from monastic ones. During the same period it reaches high level development of botany and horticulture. In this regard, the first botanical gardens appeared, which were opened to the general public in the subsequent Renaissance.
