Based on remains of early pottery, the Persian garden dates to 4000 B.C. It has served as a sign of life and hope in this desert climate for many centuries. Water is often a central feature of the garden, which can be formal or casual. It was during the reign of the Sassanids that Zoroastrian influence emphasized the importance of water in this art form, leading to the inclusion of fountains and ponds in the garden. Later the Arab occupation of the land would raise aesthetics over utility. Subsequent empires and dynasties introduced ornate structures and grandeur to the garden, and finally European influences would effect another transformation in the use of plants and water.

The Persian Garden is the embodiment of an ideal—a paradise on earth. The Farsi word for "enclosed space" was Pardeiza, which was later adopted by Christians to signify the Garden of Eden: "paradise." Thus the garden has spiritual components and it is also a place for community, a place of meeting with friends. So integral to Iranian iconography, the Persian garden continues to serve as a symbol of triumph over adversity.