GARDEN [p, ma, ;14, Sept. and N. T. arms].
Several gardens are mentioned in the Scriptures, as the garden of Eden (Gen. ii. S, 9, to, 15), Ahab's garden of herbs ( Kings xxi. 2), the royal garden near the fortress of Zion (2 Kings xxi. IS ; xxv. 4), the garden of Solomon (Eccl. 5), the royal garden of the Persian kings at Susa (Esther i. 5; vii. 7, 8), the garden of Joseph of Arimathea (John xix. 41), and the garden of Gethsemane (John xviii. I). It is clear, from Is. V. 2, and Lam. ii. 6, that gardens were generally hedged or walled, as indeed Josephns expressly states respect ing the gardens near Jerusalem (De Bell. yid. v. 7). In Job xxvii. IS ; Prov. xxvii. 18 ; Cant. i. 6 ; viii.
; and John xx. 15, gardeners and keepers of gardens by occupation are indicated. [They made use also of a species of scarecrow Orpopao-Kdvtov, Bar. vi. 7o)].
Gardens were planted not only with fragrant and beautiful plants, but with various fruit-bearing and other trees (Gen. ii. 9 ; Jer. xxix. 5 ; Amos ix. 14). Thus we find mention of nut-gardens (Cant. vi. it), pomegranate-gardens (Cant. iv. 13), olive gardens (Dent. viii. 8; Chron. xxvii. 28), vine gardens (Cant. iv. 2; viii. 8), a garden of cucum bers (Is. i. 8). Here, however, we are not to suppose that the gardens were exclusively occupied by these fruits, but that they were severally pre dominant in the gardens to which they gave name. The distinction, for instance, between a vine-garden, and a vine-yard would be, that, in the latter, the vine was cultivated solely for use, whereas in the former it was planted for solace and ornament, to cover walls, and to be trained in arbours and on trellises. [We read also of a 'garden of herbs ' (Dent. xi. to; Kings xxi. 2); in these, vegetables for the table were reared, including such aromatic herbs as were used for seasoning (See FooD)].
Gardens were, when possible, planted near streams, which afforded the means of easy irrig,a tion. This explains such passages as Gen. ii. 9, sq., and Is. i. 30. But streams were few in Pales tine, at least such as afforded water in summer, when alone water was wanted for irrigation : hence rain-water, or water from the streams which dried ttp in summer, was in winter stored up in re servoirs spacious enough to contain all the water likely to be ne2ded during the dry season. In
fact many of our own large nurseries are watered in the same manner from reservoirs of rain-water. The water was distributed through the garden in numerous small rills, which traversed it in all directions, and which were supplied either by a shewn in the Eg-,yptian monuments. These rills being turned and directed by the foot, gave rise to the phrase watering by the foot,' as indicative of garden irrigation (Dent. xi. ro). The representa tion (No. 265) very clearly shews the way in which water was raised, by a balanced lever, from the stream or reservoir, and poured into a trough, whence it flowed into the various canals for irrigation. This method is still in use. There is a curious ac count of ancient garden irrigation in Pliny (Hist. Nat. xix. 4), which the reader may consult with advantage.
Gardens were dedicated to various uses among the Hebrews, such as we still find prevailing in the East. One most essential difference between them and our own is that they are not attached to or in any way connected with the residence, but are situated in the suburbs. We have known gardens from half a mile to a mile distant from the houses of the persons to whom they belonged. It is manifest that all the gardens mentioned in Scripture were outside the several towns. This is, however, to be understood of reg,ular gardens, for shrubs and flowers were often planted in the open courts of the dwelling-houses.
People repair to their suburban gardens to take the air, to walk, and to refresh and solace them selves in various ways. For their use there is mostly in each garden a kind of summer-house or pavilion, fitted up with much neatness, gaily painted and furnished with seats, where the visi tants may sit and enjoy themselves. Here some times banquets were and are still given, attended by singing and music, to which there may be a_n allusion in Is. li. 3. The custom of burying the dead in gardens is indicated in Gen. xxiii. 19, continued stream from the reservoir, or had water poured into them by the gardeners, in the manner 20 ; 2 Kings xxi. 26 ; I Sam. xxv. 1; Mark xv. 46 ; John xix. 41, 42 ; and still occurs sometimes in the east, but is not very prevalent. We find it also among the Greeks (Heliodorus, zEthiop. i. 2, p. 35), and the Romans (Suetonius, Galba, 2o).