What is the meaning of the phrase 'the garden of the world'?

Eden and topsoil are two examples of what is meant by the phrase "the garden of the world."

Specifically, the Garden of Eden can be revered as the original home of the world's first couple - Adam and Eve - according to Judaism. Eden is remembered as a lush, verdant paradise in which every plant flourished. It is the source therefore of all divine and human abundance and goodness.

The phrase also can be used in terms of the earth's topsoil. Scientists divide Planet Earth's layers into soil horizons. The top 10-12 inches (25.4-30.5 centimeters) represent the layer in which plants grow in the wild or through cultivation.