Supplied
To say that the Taj Mahal gardens are grand is a major understatement. The site itself spans almost 17 hectares, and the project, in its entirety, took about 27 years to complete – and let’s not even mention the budget, which, in today’s money would equal upwards of AUD 100 billion. Grandeur aside, plenty of gardening ideas from the Taj Mahal can be implemented in your own garden, albeit on a smaller scale.
Here 5 Taj Mahal-inspired landscaping ideas that can elevate any garden.
1. Divide and conquer
The gardens of the Taj Mahal are divided into four quadrants. It’s a Persian and Indo-Persian garden style known as a ‘Charbagh’, a word that literally translates to ‘four’. Dividing the garden into equal quadrants immediately creates symmetry and a formal sensibility. While the number four and quadrants are an important element of Mughal garden design, you can take inspiration from this principle in your own garden by separating it into distinct zones or rooms.
For instance, if you look at the blank canvas that is your backyard and feel overwhelmed by the possibilities, try thinking about how you can segment it. Could the back right corner become an outdoor lounge area complete with a fire pit? Could the intensely sunny spot by the back of the house become the perfect kitchen garden?
2. Connect spaces
So you’ve divided the garden into zones, now you’re going to have to bring everything back together – with pathways of course! Pathways of a key element of the gardens at the Taj Mahal. Garden paths direct foot traffic around the landscape and take visitors on a sensory journey past fragrant flower beds and create moments for thought and reflection.
3. On reflection
When designing a garden, you often think about the plants, the flowers and the layout. One thing you might not consider, however, are ways to bounce natural light around the garden. The most prominent example of this at the Taj Mahal is the central marble reflecting pool, which represents abundance.
The shallow pool of water amplifies the building’s grandeur and invites those in the garden to enter a state of meditation and reflection. You can do this in your own garden on a smaller scale by incorporating a small water fountain, a bird bath or even by placing outdoor mirrors in strategic locations.
4. Create focal points
Every element of the Taj Mahal garden is designed to direct the eye toward the central structure. Pathways all point towards the Taj Mahal, plants are purposely kept low so they don’t obstruct the view of the grand building. Think about this when designing your own front garden.
If you’re hoping to boost your home’s kerb appeal try not to obstruct the view of the house. Prune back unruly trees and unkempt shrubs and find ways to highlight the elements of your home you’re most proud of. This could be by replacing the fence, lining the front path with vibrantly-coloured flowers – the possibilities are endless!
5. Think about plants and their meanings
Mughal garden design also emphasized the meanings of plants themselves. Some of the key plants at the Taj Mahal include cypress trees (which symbolise death) and a variety of fruiting trees (which symbolise life). If you want to create a meaningful garden, think not only about how the plants look together, but the symbolic meanings of the plants you’re selecting.
The language of flowers is known as floriography, and some of the most widely known flower meanings (according to almanac.com) include: red roses (love), snapdragons (graciousness), peonies (happy life) and white jasmine (sweet love).
Save up to $1200* on Wendy Wu Tours with Flight Centre’s Asia sale! Discover a great wall of deals and authentic experiences in India, China, Vietnam, Japan and more. Book now!
Visit the Taj Mahal
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Meet Mother Nature’s finest fertiliser
Native ad body.
