When we read the Bible or Qur’an, or hear passages quoted from them, we are acutely aware that those writings came from places far away and from times in the distant past. How can we bring these words of wisdom and inspiration to life? What can we do to remind us that the Scriptures are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago? This garden is an attempt to illustrate the real life of those passages. We have tried to obtain plants that are the exact species referred to in the Bible and the Qur’an, books in which some of these plants are cited numerous times. The garden is situated in two raised planters at the front of the AT&T Science Center.

These trees, shrubs, flowers, and herbs are all native to the Holy Land, or products from them were imported in historic times from farther south in Africa, such as frankincense and myrrh. Today we are all familiar with fruits like dates, figs, pomegranates, apricots, and grapes. But although there are many kinds of oaks, mints, and grasses cultivated around the world, we believe that our garden contains the exact ones cited in the holy books, as far as botanists and religious scholars have been able to determine. Our myrrh and frankincense trees are in ceramic pots, so we can bring them indoors on the coldest winter nights. Fortunately for us, however, most plants from the Holy Land are well suited to grow in San Antonio, because our hot, dry summers, mild winters, and limestone soils in south Texas are much like those found in the Middle East and all around the Mediterranean Sea. Many of these plants figure prominently in the Holy Scriptures of the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic religions.

Some plants cited in the Bible and Qur’an are not suitable for a landscape design like this one. Examples are grapes, cucumbers, and onions. The plants we selected for the Holy Land Garden are generally perennials (plants that live for many years, surviving winters) that have attractive foliage and/or flowers. A few annuals are included like corn poppy, crown daisy, corn marigold, and flax.

Our labels give the common name, botanical name, and one or more citations where the plants are mentioned in the Bible or Qur’an. Come visit the garden and consider how the olive tree and date palm have been gifts to humankind for hundreds of generations, and pinch off a bit of leaf from kitchen herbs like the Greek basil, Egyptian mint, or Syrian oregano to experience the fragrance.