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Traditional
Parks and Gardens
in Indonesia
The most common form of the traditional Indonesian
private garden, the so-called "pekarangan", differs
considerably from that familiar to the West. Still found in
its old form mainly in rural areas, this type of garden usually
grows fruit, medical herb and other useful plants such as bamboo.
It is often marked off from neighboring lots by low hedges or
bamboo fences but seldom entirely enclosed for privacy. Closer
to the conventional eastern
concept of a garden and of greater interest aesthetically, is
the big "pelataran" garden which surrounds the homes
of the aristocracy and other members of the social elite in
Java. Usually covered with carefully brushed river sand and
shaded by tall cinnamon trees, these aristocratic gardens exhume
an air of quiet dignity and bear a character all their own.
Unlike
the small common gardens, which are normally entirely surrounded
by high walls to provide complete privacy. Similar in concept
to the "pelataran" is the alun-alun, the traditional
town square, usually found in front of the ruling royal or princely
house, or the highest local government administrator, the Bupati.
Western influence has to a certain extent pushed
aside the old traditional concept and nowadays most town gardens
and all parks apart from the alun-alun are more, or entirely,
a realization of the modern western concept. A further development
has been the establishment of national and tourist parks for
the purpose of conservation, research and recreation in many
parts of the country.
Botanical gardens in Indonesia:
- The Bogor Botanic Gardens in Bogor
- The Cibodas Mountain Garden on the slope of the Gede volcano,
West Java
- The Purwodadi Garden in East Java
- The Eka Karya Garden located at Candi Kuning on the slopes
of Mt. Pohen in
Bali
- The Sibolangit Garden is situated at Sibolangit on the
slopes of the volcano
Sibayak
- The Setia Mulia Garden on the slopes of the Bukit Barisan
mountain range in
West Sumatra
- Orchid Gardens in Jakarta at Slipi and in the Taman Mini
Park.
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