According to the garden scale,garden element and gardening technique,as well as garden processing mode and history of Tibet,traditional Tibetan gardens were classified into germination phase,formation phase and maturation phase,by introducing development status of traditional Tibetan gardens in each phase,this study proposed that a Tibetan garden system was formed with Norbulingka as a representative,and characteristics of traditional Tibetan gardens were concluded as:A.Garden selection and layout usually depends on plain terrains around main buildings with clear relationship among and low density of woods,constructions and roads,which is open and regular without designed windings,and different from gardening techniques of traditional Chinese gardens characterized by zig-zags,restraining before expanding,and winding paths to the serenity;B.Garden elements in Tibetan gardens mainly indicate those landscape plants,its gardening focuses on greening,but unlike traditional Chinese gardens,pays less attention to "water layout";C.Traditional Tibetan gardens have 3 major functions:recreational,religious and political,attaching great importance to its religious functions.
