Tuesday 31 January 2012

Aztec Gardens

Is a subject that I have only come to learn about recently - and to be amazed by.  For example, the garden at Huaxtepec (now Oaxtepec and south of Mexico City) created by Moctezuma I (r.1440-1469) was an exhibition of royal power-gardening, a site of religious significance, a cosmic paradigm and possibly representational of symbol of the paradisical afterlife garden of Tlalocan.  And if this were not enough, Moctezuma had planted the many different species he ordered sent from all over his empire.  The collection had a focus on medicinal plants, making Huaxtepec probably  the world's first botanic garden.

Sadly the garden is now under a holiday park but to read more about the subject in general, may I recommend this excellent article on Aztec Royal Pleasure Parks.

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