Persian Garden, A Traditional Response to Climate Change

Climate Change in the past few decades has altered the urban environment and affected urban life on daily basis. Seeking for a practical response and a climate adaptation solution has been an urgent research topic for the rapidly urbanized world. However Urban Gardening is a long time tradition in different parts of the world, adapted to climate and environmental conditions. The Gardening diversity is clearly noticeable in macroclimates, which had a major role in the formation of the Iranian, English and Japanese … gardens. Of course, culture and local beliefs of each region cannot be ignored or underestimated. This article takes Persian gardens as the case study and evaluates some of its environmental features in terms of meeting climate change issues. Persian Gardening presents itself in dry regions of Iran, provides a pleasant atmosphere, a paradise in hot cities at the middle of a desert. Persian gardens vary in terms of basic shaping elements including water, structural, decorative and lightening elements and plant nutrients, adapted to four existing climate regions in Iran: Hot and dry, Cold, Moderate and humid, and also hot and humid climate. In each region, according to conditions, gardens have been designed differently. In this article, climate zoning of Iran and cases of gardens from each region will be described. Then, the effect of different climate on the main elements of Persian gardens such as orientation, vegetation and morphology (regular and irregular) will be analysed. Finally the article classifies Persian gardens and their environmental adapted elements based on their climate regions and conclude with a set of principles applicable to different climates that could be beneficial for existing patterns to present new solutions and provide a compatible climate design of urban green spaces.