"For ancient Egyptians, life on earth was a preparation for the dangerous journey into the afterlife. Temples and their gardens were a meeting place between heaven, earth, and the underworld."
Gardens in ancient Egyptian times were sacred spaces that only few ordinary Egyptians would ever have been allowed to enter.
The Ancient Egyptian Temple Garden is the oldest in the Hamilton Gardens concept gardens, as it is based on a typical temple from the Middle Kingdom period (2040 BC to 1782 BC) and tells the 4000-year story of gardens and civilisations from 2040 BC to now.
Temple gardens produced floral, vegetable and fruit offerings for sacred rituals and grew the plants used in perfumes for anointing statues to the gods.
Ryan said: "Temple compounds all shared a similar, highly symbolic design. They were enclosed by high walls. The gardens featured a central, rectangular pool, with pergolas covered in grapevines and rows of trees often linked with irrigation channels."
With the opening of the adjacent Palm Court, people can now hire the Hamilton Club Summerhouse for private events.
Southgate says there was no doubt Hamilton Gardens is one of the city's most treasured open spaces. On Easter Sunday alone it drew in more than 4000 visitors.
"The new Ancient Egyptian Garden is going to make a wonderful space even better.
"I'm constantly getting comments, from both visitors and people in our city because there is simply no other garden that manages to combine history, culture and gardens quite so well.
The new garden is part of the "Productive Garden collection" that addresses aspects of the relationship between people and plants.
Visitors can enjoy the new garden from Tuesday, May 10. Hamilton Gardens is free for all visitors and open 10am to 5pm every day.
