In al-Ándalus, gardens had more than just an aesthetic role. The orchard gardens grew aromatic plants, fruit trees and vegetables not only to please the senses of sight and smell, but also for agricultural purposes. This required careful distribution of water and led to the development of the science of acclimatization of new botanical species. The peoples of al-Ándalus had inherited this knowledge from their forefathers in the eastern Islamic world, and partly from their Roman forebears. Their proverbial thirst for learning led to major botanic and scientific developments. A true "green revolution" took place which spread agriculture all over al-Ándalus and sowed the seeds of trade in agricultural produce.
