Biblical garden – a review, characteristics and definition based on twenty years of research

Biblical gardens have existed in the public space for almost 80 years, and yet still up to this moment no scientific definition of this type of garden layout has been developed, nor has any detailed characterization of them been published. Multifaceted, interdisciplinary research carried out in the years 1996-2017 made it possible to gather detailed data pertaining to 63 biblical gardens all over the world, primarily including the oldest ones. The fundamental characteristics of existing sites were determined on the basis of these results, including their naming in different languages, presentation through a logo and motto, plant selection along with the manner of its presentation, the symbols that they employ, street and garden furniture being used and the arrangements of miniature landscapes. An in-depth analysis of the material that had been gathered made it possible to formulate a scientific definition of a biblical garden as a specific type of greenery arrangement. The specifics of biblical gardens lie in the fact that they possess significant semantic value and are an illustration of the sacred texts of the Bible, one of the greatest works of literature. Various artistic works are being used in their arrangement, in addition to modern forms of design, which highlight sensory values through referring to the senses: sight, touch, hearing, smell and taste.