I heard a quote on the Monty Don 80 gardens around the world that said, a garden is the only art-form we live in. I can hardly describe my love for gardening that goes beyond all my other hobbies and past-times as something that touches the soul and living inside it is my endless pleasure for eight-nine months of the year! I miss my garden desperately through the winter months; plants heal me when I am sad, I talk to my plants when I am tending them. Today, I carried some new plants around the garden in a bucket and when I asked myself why, I realised it was to introduce them to their new world. That sounds crazy but I truly cherish the space I have as something visceral and instinctive. Its artfully crafted, but knowledgeably tended. It's a living picture of my happiness!
I consider it an art as I take particular care when finding the right place for a new plant, somewhere that will not only show it off, but one where the colour of flowers and foliage compliment the surrounding plants.As a trained florist I find that lots of the principles of design in floristry are carried forward into the garden to make a harmonious effect. Lots of people do this in their gardens without knowing anything about design, just putting things together that look good.
The answer to this question depends on the person. It depends on the maturity of the person's perception of art, and of gardening.
If you ask someone who thinks that gardening is solely about growing potatoes, then the answer is definitely 'no'.
But if you were able to ask Monty Don, Simon Schama, or Carl Jung, you'd get a very different answer. And each of those people would probably have different reasons for saying that gardening is art.
I heard a quote on the Monty Don 80 gardens around the world that said, a garden is the only art-form we live in.....
Monty's 80 Garden TV series and book is packed with asides, and tantalising hints, about this question, as is his TV series and book about Italian Gardens. Monty also made a TV series, several years ago, about the symbolism of plants. Though that was about the use of plant forms IN pictorial art, rather than the act of interacting with nature.
The answer depends on the individual. It's very curious that all of the people who have decided post replies on this thread might be classied as a 'certain type' of gardener. I suspect that many other gardeners will notice the title of this thread, and dismiss it. People react in different ways, both to the question, and to their own gardens.
Well, thinking about that quote again, I think you have to include Architecture and maybe go so far as haute couture clothing, so perhaps its not the best quote? But art most certainly is a way of thinking, a frame of mind, a sensory marriage. Its what makes us humans feel better in an otherwise abrasive world and if that means wearing wellies and being knee deep in a pile of muck on a rainy/windy day with the prospect of enjoying what is to come in the summer months, then you can keep your fancy fashions and sculpted buildings and super fast cars.
My version of heaven, is an endless field waiting to be created into a garden, without pests and diseases. See you on the other side! Of the field..gosh!
Just taking the single word Architecture, out of context.... It's worth pointing out that Architecture is an important element in the garden as art. What I'm thinking about is (back to Monty) the idea of ruined temples, ruined town walls, grotesque sculptures, etc. For some reason, a building is far more appealing, if it's been knocked about. Or very cleverly constructed so that it appears so.
Like cloud8 I think of gardening as both an art and a craft. It depends on what you're doing and how you're doing it. I've been really enjoying Andy Sturgeon's blog series about the garden he's designing for Chelsea this year. He is without doubt an an artist at work.
@Gary Hobson, indeed, and when we use hard surfaces to compliment or contrast within soft planting, I think we are not only being artistic but attempting to mimic nature in the formation of miniature (idealised) landscapes and whether you prefer the Zen garden or the tropical paradise. The art is not in the existence of such a scene, (that is copied from nature and you could appreciate from any static photo) but man's crafting of it into a personal form. Man becomes nature in his little corner of the world, existing equally in destruction as creation, constantly evolving and improving just like nature and art must involve crafting in order to exist in the first place, or else it is just the beauty of nature, but not art. Now I need to go and lay down, haha.
Not really, for me. I just plant what I enjoy looking at and growing, but don't think of it as art. Most of my garden is open to view by the public passing by, I would like to think it is easy on the eye with a bit of brightness that lights it up, here and there, throughout the seasons.
Posts
I heard a quote on the Monty Don 80 gardens around the world that said, a garden is the only art-form we live in. I can hardly describe my love for gardening that goes beyond all my other hobbies and past-times as something that touches the soul and living inside it is my endless pleasure for eight-nine months of the year! I miss my garden desperately through the winter months; plants heal me when I am sad, I talk to my plants when I am tending them. Today, I carried some new plants around the garden in a bucket and when I asked myself why, I realised it was to introduce them to their new world. That sounds crazy but I truly cherish the space I have as something visceral and instinctive. Its artfully crafted, but knowledgeably tended. It's a living picture of my happiness!
I consider it an art as I take particular care when finding the right place for a new plant, somewhere that will not only show it off, but one where the colour of flowers and foliage compliment the surrounding plants.As a trained florist I find that lots of the principles of design in floristry are carried forward into the garden to make a harmonious effect. Lots of people do this in their gardens without knowing anything about design, just putting things together that look good.
Yes
Art is art, no matter what material you use.
The answer to this question depends on the person. It depends on the maturity of the person's perception of art, and of gardening.
If you ask someone who thinks that gardening is solely about growing potatoes, then the answer is definitely 'no'.
But if you were able to ask Monty Don, Simon Schama, or Carl Jung, you'd get a very different answer. And each of those people would probably have different reasons for saying that gardening is art.
Monty's 80 Garden TV series and book is packed with asides, and tantalising hints, about this question, as is his TV series and book about Italian Gardens. Monty also made a TV series, several years ago, about the symbolism of plants. Though that was about the use of plant forms IN pictorial art, rather than the act of interacting with nature.
The answer depends on the individual. It's very curious that all of the people who have decided post replies on this thread might be classied as a 'certain type' of gardener. I suspect that many other gardeners will notice the title of this thread, and dismiss it. People react in different ways, both to the question, and to their own gardens.
Well, thinking about that quote again, I think you have to include Architecture and maybe go so far as haute couture clothing, so perhaps its not the best quote? But art most certainly is a way of thinking, a frame of mind, a sensory marriage. Its what makes us humans feel better in an otherwise abrasive world and if that means wearing wellies and being knee deep in a pile of muck on a rainy/windy day with the prospect of enjoying what is to come in the summer months, then you can keep your fancy fashions and sculpted buildings and super fast cars.
My version of heaven, is an endless field waiting to be created into a garden, without pests and diseases. See you on the other side! Of the field..gosh!
Just taking the single word Architecture, out of context.... It's worth pointing out that Architecture is an important element in the garden as art. What I'm thinking about is (back to Monty) the idea of ruined temples, ruined town walls, grotesque sculptures, etc. For some reason, a building is far more appealing, if it's been knocked about. Or very cleverly constructed so that it appears so.
Hello all,
Like cloud8 I think of gardening as both an art and a craft. It depends on what you're doing and how you're doing it. I've been really enjoying Andy Sturgeon's blog series about the garden he's designing for Chelsea this year. He is without doubt an an artist at work.
Emma
gardenersworld.com team
@Gary Hobson, indeed, and when we use hard surfaces to compliment or contrast within soft planting, I think we are not only being artistic but attempting to mimic nature in the formation of miniature (idealised) landscapes and whether you prefer the Zen garden or the tropical paradise. The art is not in the existence of such a scene, (that is copied from nature and you could appreciate from any static photo) but man's crafting of it into a personal form. Man becomes nature in his little corner of the world, existing equally in destruction as creation, constantly evolving and improving just like nature and art must involve crafting in order to exist in the first place, or else it is just the beauty of nature, but not art. Now I need to go and lay down, haha.
I like to 'paint' pictures with plants so I would say art
Pam x
Not really, for me. I just plant what I enjoy looking at and growing, but don't think of it as art. Most of my garden is open to view by the public passing by, I would like to think it is easy on the eye with a bit of brightness that lights it up, here and there, throughout the seasons.