How did ancient China and Mediterranean countries contribute to the origins of botanical gardens?

The roots of the botanical garden as an institution are traceable to ancient China and countries bordering the Mediterranean. In these regions, early gardens functioned primarily as centers for cultivating fruit trees, vegetables, and herbs used for food and the production of crude medicines.1

These early sites laid the groundwork for the later development of botanical institutions in Europe. The practice of documenting plant knowledge in herbals—manuals used to identify medicinal plants—further stimulated the formal founding of botanical gardens. By the 16th century, this tradition evolved into the establishment of "physic gardens" at European universities, which were specifically designed to train medical students and grow plants for medicinal use.123

While these early gardens were rooted in utility and medicine, they eventually transitioned into centers for plant culture, scientific research, and public display. This evolution reflects a shift from the ancient focus on practical survival and medicinal necessity toward the modern role of botanical gardens as reservoirs of plant diversity and educational resources.14