In praise of the U of A’s new Aga Khan Garden

Pluralism is at the heart of the design, say A. Anne McLellan and Ralph Young.

Any list of world-renowned parks and gardens is likely to feature the great gardens of the western world.

London’s Hyde Park and New York’s Central Park stand as two iconic examples. Yet the Middle East and Asia would also be wellrepresented. The gardens of the Al-hambra in Spain, AlAzhar Park in Cairo, and the gardens of Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi, are all magnificent reminders of the Muslim contribution to the world’s horticultural heritage.

Thanks to His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th hereditary Imam of the world’s Shia Ismaili Muslims, the University of Alberta Botanic Garden is home to a world-class garden and architectural jewel. And while Edmonton may seem an unlikely addition to this list, it is a project which is underwritten by distinctly Canadian features.

Drawing from the rich heritage of the Mughal tradition, the Aga Khan Garden is situated in a firmly Canadian context. The 4.8-hectare Mughal-inspired garden, was made possible by a generous gift from the Aga Khan to the U of A. The garden features secluded forest paths, granite paved pathways, limestone terraces, rippled waterfalls, streams and still pools that reflect the Alberta sky. Fruit orchards extend around the large Calla Pond, and the garden contains more than 35,000 trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and wetland plants.

The task of bringing to life an Islamic garden in northern Alberta was entrusted to Thomas Woltz of Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects. The firm has been selected for an impressive variety of projects around the world including the Cornwall Park Master Plan in Auckland, N.Z., the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pa. and Hudson Yards in New York City.

In utilizing principles of Islamic design and geometry through the play of shadow and light while drawing deeply from its Canadian setting and heritage, the garden embodies a profound commitment to pluralism on a physical plane.

In a world where pluralism is often reduced to platitudes, the garden is a powerful reminder of the potential of the built environment to bridge human divides.

The Aga Khan Garden is uniquely suited to such a task. In playing on the senses of touch, smell and sight, framed within disciplined geometric forms, the garden highlights the beauty of the natural world.

In accentuating a natural splendour and variety, the garden mirrors an ideal state of affairs. Humans by nature are different — we come from different races, creeds, cultures, ethnicities and traditions. Through the meticulous selection of variable flora and a globally inspired design, we can fully appreciate that diversity is integral to humanity’s beauty and should be celebrated rather than discouraged.

The potential of the garden can be seen in another one of His Highness’ projects, the restoration of the Bagh-e Babur, or Babur’s Gardens in Kabul, Afghanistan, undertaken by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC).

As a refuge of contemplation and reflection, Babur’s Garden offers to those inside an oasis of optimism and peace in a region of the world so desperately in need of both.

It has been said that in the Muslim imaginary, the garden serves as a reflection of paradise on earth. For those early Muslims who lived in the harsh and searing environment of the Arabian Peninsula, the lush greenery of watered gardens provided an ideal place of rest and unimaginable beauty.

While those in Edmonton may wish for the heat of the Arabian desert in the throes of a Canadian winter, the Aga Khan Garden aims to offer a paradise of a different sort. In its unique design, it will offer spaces for Canadians and others alike to seek respite from the trials of everyday life, to enjoy each other’s company in the midst of extraordinary beauty, and to celebrate our diversity in a spirit of harmony.

The garden will serve as a Canadian cultural asset for future generations. It will be a place where Alberta’s natural beauty is brought to life and will show the world the very best of what Canada and Edmonton have to offer.