The Art and Philosophy of the Garden

Abstract The Art and Philosophy of the Garden is a comprehensive philosophical treatment of the aesthetics of gardens. The book focuses on five central questions: (1) What is a garden? The ten-point definition offered is derived from a comprehensive inventory of garden types. (2) Are some gardens works of art? Inspired by the recent work of garden philosophers—and after examining the arguments, as well as comparing the garden to other artforms—the book argues in the affirmative. (3) What does it mean to aesthetically appreciate gardens? Given that gardens are always changing in a variety of ways, how is it possible to compare, evaluate, or find meaning in them? To explain this, the book explores how aesthetic properties of gardens can be known, both formal and contextual. (4) How do people interpret gardens? After considering the arguments, pro and con, the book focuses on what it means to “read” the formal aspects of gardens—what the book calls “garden form”—as a basis for interpreting a garden. (5) How do people value gardens and gardening? Finally, the book discusses the intersection of gardens/gardening and value, the sort of value that gardens possess, whether and how ethics are relevant to gardens, how gardens may be evaluated and compared, and the value of the practice of gardening.