Garden The Garden refers to the three educational institutions in " Final Fantasy VIII " . Each trains youths into becoming specialized military forces , and is headed by two individuals , an administrator , referred to as master , and a headmaster . There are three Gardens in the world : Balamb Garden in Balamb , Galbadia Garden in Galbadia and Trabia Garden in Trabia . Occupants of one ' s Garden refer to their home Garden as simply " Garden " , while the other establishments are often referred to with shorthand that has the Garden ' s first letter adjoined to the word " Garden " : B - Garden , G - Garden and T - Garden . Profile . The Garden Code . Among the articles and text - based lessons drilled into each student is the Garden Code . A series of articles that informs the student on possible actions that could be performed during a given situation . 8 : 7 . . . " In the event that returning to the assigned Garden is not possible , report to the nearest Garden " ) . Uniform . Gardens require students to wear cadet uniforms for formal occasions or external operations where the Garden is represented . The uniforms of each Garden are in similar design with patterned shoulder pieces and silver linings . The Garden logo appears partway down the right sleeve . The main difference between the uniforms is the color : Balamb Garden ' s consists of a navy blue base with yellow accent , Trabia Garden ' s a light blue base with purple accent and Galbadia Garden ' s black base with red accent . Upon graduation , SeeD members receive their own formal uniforms . Students . Children between the ages of five and fifteen years old may apply to become a cadet . To become a student , one must pass an interview . Students are allowed stay with their family and commute , or in the dorms . Cadets take classes in general education , athletics , combat , magic , and ( in Balamb Garden ) Guardian Force use . When cadets turn 15 , they may attempt to become SeeD . Students from the other Gardens can transfer to Balamb to take part in the SeeD field exam after completing the written exam in their home Garden . Students have until age 20 to pass the SeeD exam before they are required to leave the Garden . During schooling each student is assigned to a group that reflect upon what they are studying and / or in accordance to their chosen profession . The level of competence in their studies is reflected by a level ' ranking ' featured after their group title . " ( ie . Fire Platoon Lvl 3 , Indirect Magic Operative Lvl 2 ) " . By logic , there are more specializations , but they are unmentioned . Faculty . The Garden staff responsible for the administration and overseeing conduct and ethics . Each Garden has a set of faculties with different uniforms ; Balamb Garden ' s is dressed in white and red robes with a yellow , face - covering headgear , Galbadia Garden ' s in tracksuits while Trabia ' s in standard military garb . Faculty classification systems within the Gardens follow that of a standard real - world school ( i . e . principal , instructor , faculty , doctor , etc . ) , but there are one or two extra ranks : Alumni . All Gardens support a program which helps graduates enlist in armies all over the world . This program was created by Martine , the Galbadia Garden ' s headmaster . Location . There are three Gardens in the world of " Final Fantasy VIII " . Balamb Garden , located in the Balamb Island at the center of the map , Galbadia Garden , located to the north of the Galbadian Continent , and Trabia Garden , located in the remote northern mountain regions of the Bika snowfield . Story . The idea of Gardens was brought up by Edea Kramer , who had met a teenaged Squall Leonhart from the future , claiming to be a SeeD from the Garden . A dying sorceress had appeared alongside him , and Edea , a sorceress herself , had inherited her sorceress power as she had perished . From this encounter Edea surmised that one day Squall — a boy currently in her orphanage — would defeat a sorceress , and she would need to ensure Squall will be trained to become a SeeD . Cid Kramer , Edea ' s husband , began seeking beneficiaries for financial support . The Shumi NORG gave major contributions into building the first Garden , Balamb Garden . The facility itself was built by the technological masterminds of Esthar on a defunct Centra shelter , and was placed on the central continent . The Garden buildings were initially Centra shelters before being remodeled into Gardens . The people of Centra used to travel the world on the shelters after a Lunar Cry devastated their homeland . The Garden ' s MD Level is where the control system for the shelter is located , where the oil stratum fuels the system that moves the Garden . The original structures are left intact , but entry to MD Level is strictly forbidden . Balamb Garden is administrated by NORG with Cid Kramer as its headmaster . Due to the funding needed to run the Garden , NORG suggested dispatching the SeeDs around the world as mercenaries . After some time , Galbadia Garden and Trabia Garden were also built . Galbadia Garden ' s master is Martine , who is also the headmaster — until Edea , under control of Sorceress Ultimecia , takes over . The headmaster of Trabia Garden is never revealed . Balamb Garden was built to train Squall and other orphans to become SeeD in preparation for their fated battle against the sorceress Edea had glimpsed with a future Squall . Dr . Odine of Esthar had developed a system to use Guardian Force s , which lets the SeeDs and the cadets junction magic to augment their strength , as well as summon the GFs in battle . Balamb Garden is the only Garden to train SeeDs and the only one to use Guardian Forces . Galbadia Garden students are the only ones to wield firearms and the Garden cooperates with the government of Galbadia . What Trabia Garden specializes in is never elaborated upon , but its cadets can transfer to Balamb to take the SeeD field exam to graduate to SeeD , but afterward they must remain stationed at Balamb Garden . Edea , who had stayed estranged from Cid and of whose role as the Garden ' s originator its students are unaware of , surfaces in Galbadia where she is to become President Vinzer Deling ' s ambassador to intimidate other nations . Squall graduates to SeeD and is sent on a mission to assassinate her . Cid has deemed the time for the Garden ' s true purpose having finally arrived , although he is dismayed the sorceress the SeeD appears to be fated to battle is his wife . The assassination attempt fails . Edea dispatches of Deling and takes over Galbadia Garden as her base of operations and orders Balamb and Trabia Gardens destroyed via missile strike . Trabia Garden is annihilated , but Balamb Garden escapes as Squall ' s party races back to warn them in time to activate the shelter mechanism the Garden was built upon . The transformed Garden moves away from the spot the missiles were programmed to target . NORG considers Balamb Garden his personal business venture , and deems Cid has usurped power and tries to overthrow him . NORG doesn ' t believe the Garden stands a chance against Edea , and though the Garden had escaped the missile strike , wants to hand over Squall ' s party to her as an act of goodwill and to show the Garden is not associated with the attempt on her life . When Squall ' s party protests , NORG is defeated and he and the Garden Faculty are driven from the Garden . Once the Garden crashes into the Fishermans Horizon the former Estharian engineers , who had built the city to the middle of the ocean , restore Balamb Garden to full functionality . Cid steps down promoting Squall as the new commander of SeeD . He embarks on a quest to defeat Edea , though he doesn ' t understand why Cid calls it his destiny . During their travels they uncover Edea ' s true identity . When attempting to seek answers at her old orphanage , they are intercepted by a similarly mobile Galbadia Garden commandeered by Edea and her Sorceress Knight Seifer Almasy . Squall leads the attack into the heart of the enemy Garden where they confront Edea . After the battle she addresses the party in kindness to everyone ' s surprise . As Seifer departs with the Galbadians , having received new orders from a possessed Rinoa Heartilly — Squall ' s party member who has since fallen comatose — Edea and the others retreat to her old orphanage . Edea reveals she had not been acting on her free will : she had been possessed by a sorceress from the future called Ultimecia who wants to unmake the world via time compression . Squall decides to quit SeeD and pursue a personal mission : finding a cure for Rinoa , who unknown to everyone had inherited Edea ' s sorceress power and become possessed by Ultimecia . Galbadia Garden is never seen again , and Squall leaves Balamb Garden docked at Fishermans Horizon as he and his friends set out to Esthar on foot . It is unknown who replaces him as the Garden ' s commander while he is away . Squall ' s quest leads him to traveling to the future where he kills Ultimecia and stops the time compression . As the timeline begins to unravel to its original form , Squall briefly appears back at Edea ' s orphanage . He imparts the knowledge of SeeD and Garden to the younger Edea before being taken to his own time period . Everyone returns to Balamb Garden where they celebrate the SeeD ' s victory over Ultimecia , with Edea and Cid attending as well .