If you’re a garden enthusiast, you’ll love some of the Mughal Gardens in India. The Pinjore Gardens is an example of a garden built in the Mughal style of gardening. The Pinjore Gardens are located in Pinjore, which is a city in the state of Haryana. The irony to these Gardens is that the Emperor for whom the Pinjore Gardens were built, was not able to enjoy the gardens because there was a goiter epidemic in Pinjore. He soon had to move and the Pinjore Gardens were abandoned soon after.

The Nishat Gardens is a rectangular shaped garden located near Dal Lake in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmire. The word ‘Nishat’ means ‘pleasure’ so the Gardens were meant to be a garden of pleasure. Nishat Gardens has twelve terraces that represent the twelve signs of the zodiac. The terraces of the Nishat Garden are watered by a central canal that serves as an irrigation system to bring water to the Garden.

The Ram Gardens has the reputation of being the oldest surviving Mughal Garden in India. The Ram Gardens had water propelled to several terraces. The cascading water and water fountains served to cool the visitors to the Ram Gardens in the hot summer sun. Hence the word ‘Ram’ means ‘rest’, which means that the Ram Gardens were meant to be a garden of rest and relaxation. The famous Empress Nur Jahan is responsible for the design of the Ram Gardens. I’d say she did a pretty good job!

The Shalimar Gardens was given by Emperor Jahangir to his wife Nur Jahan. The word ‘Shalimar’ means ‘Hall of Love’ and was dedicated to the Emperor’s true love, Nur Jahan. The Shalimar Gardens was the summer residence of Emperor Jahangir and his wife. In the years after Emperor Jahangir, it continued to be a favorite retreat area for later Emperors and their families. The Shalimar Gardens are known for the Chinar trees that line the area. In the fall, when the leaves change color, they bring color to the Garden.