The Chahar Bagh form spread rapidly throughout the eastern world until the 18th-century. Chahar Bagh gardens could be created anywhere, from a small courtyard to extensive royal palace grounds. Gardens with the four quadrant design can also be found over a vast distance, from Spain through the Middle East and India. As Persians and Muslims moved across Asia, the gardens were adapted to fit local needs, but the basic design features stayed the same.
The spread of this garden layout and the spread of Islam went hand-in-hand. The four-garden designs were adopted by Muslim invaders, as they were viewed as a representation of the garden of Paradise (described in the Islamic holy book, the Qur’an). References are also made to a garden of Paradise, or Eden, in the Christian bible. This garden form’s symbolism has roots in three of the world’s larger religions – Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.