Bahlgerd Garden, a Prototype and a Pattern for Gardens of Birjand

The Persian garden is known worldwide for its humanistic aesthetic approach toward nature. Having a unique geometry, character and elements, the Persian garden has been categorized by miscellaneous scholars according to the context, shapes, elements and their functions, and activities that took place in the gardens. The residential gardens, as one of these categorizations, refer to the permanent settlement activities in the garden. Since most of the gardens belonged to the governors and were used seasonally for recreational or governmental purposes, a few examples of permanent residence in Persian gardens can be sought in Iran. Gardens of Birjand are typically considered as distinctive gardens due to their unique features, such as the absence water or a pavilion on one side of the garden. Despite having the basic characteristics of the Persian garden, including geometry, axis, and etc., Bahlgerd Garden has elements and spaces that are organized to provide housing and supporting services. The presence of a distinctive pavilion as the inner (private) garden, the absence of a pond and an pavilion in the central courtyard, lack of a deep view to the garden from the pavilion, vast yards for cultivating productive plants and the presence of a water pond in the garden as a source of irrigation all indicate that Bahlgerd Garden was dominantly used as a residential garden. It can be said that the sacred aspects of Persian garden have not yet been revealed in this garden, and the designer aimed at creating favorable Persian spaces along the agricultural fields by creating
private spaces and etc