[BSW] March meeting topic: The Persian Garden

[Kathy Bilton]

Next month BSW member Steven lonker will be presenting a talk about "The 
Persian Garden."

Abstract: The Persian Gardens trace their roots to the 6th century B.C.E. 
during the reign of Cyrus the Great and span 2,500 years of technological 
innovations in sustainable landscape and building design, water 
management, and micro-climate modification in a harsh, arid climate. 
Always divided into four quadrants intersecting at a central pool, water 
plays a key role in irrigation and sacred geometry. The gardens symbolize 
the Zoroastrian view of paradise on earth, Eden, with four rivers and the 
four divisions of earth. Nine of these gardens have been elected to 
UNESCO’s World Heritage List under 'The Persian Garden.' These gardens 
offer one solution for creating sustainable green spaces in urbanized 
areas in arid and semi-arid climates that modify local climate by 
increasing humidity and evaporative cooling, protect the local environment 
against hot dusty winds, and absorb pollutants.


In April,  Manuela Dal Forno will be speaking about lichens.