Evolution of Gardens

By Abbie Gentry

What is a garden? Some would answer a plot of land with vegetation. Others would visualize an earthy node for gatherings. Some might even argue that the word could even refer to something the size of a box, like a window box planter (“Garden”). This seemingly all-inclusive, vague term has a past to match its ambiguous meaning. Historically speaking, a garden was purely functional. The purpose of a garden was to harvest food or medicine. Gardens existed solely to grow food or to serve as a place to explore the medicinal qualities of plants. Later, gardens developed into more leisurely spaces to be enjoyed as a promenade or as a retreat from the strain of the everyday life. Today, most public gardens have evolved into a combination of both aesthetics and function. Gardens serve the public as a place of respite; a place to congregate for recreational activities; a place to educate about and celebrate botany; a place of scientific experiment; and the list goes on.

Today, urban gardens can be used to not only provide a haven but also to function as a city’s water filtration system. Kathryn Gustafson’s Kulturpark Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam is a prime example of this. Rather than choosing plants simply from an aesthetics view, she designed the area using certain plants that have the ability to purify water. This was a wise move economically for the city because this natural filtration system is efficient and multi-functional as well as negating the need for an eyesore of an industrial purification plant.

Although the image of a garden that typically comes to mind is that of a vegetated space, it does not even need to possess actual plants to earn the title “garden.” The landscaping of Ken Smith is proof for that. Rather than using live vegetation that would require upkeep, and thus time and money, he designed a landscape entirely out of artificial materials on the rooftop of the Museum of Modern Art building in New York. From afar, the space seems alive and thriving. Up close, however, one realizes that the boulders are all built from the same plastic mold and the “grass” is actually crushed glass and other recycled materials (Raver).

Another thing that has changed over the years is the emotive qualities of gardens. Traditionally gardens were to serve as a retreat from the city; a quiet place of solitude and relaxation. Today, it symbolizes community. It has become the meeting place of urban locals to congregate. People are encouraged to be active in these spaces rather than lackadaisical. These large urban gardens more often than not include bike paths, running paths, playgrounds for children, and large areas for recreational activities.

I believe that gardens will continue to evolve and adapt to the needs of people. They will persist in educating the public, providing a place of physical and mental restoration and serving as a common ground between the city and the country.

Sources Cited

“Garden.” An Encyclopedia Britannica Company. Merriam-Webster. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/garden

Raver, Anne. “A Rooftop Garden with Synthetic Green.” The New York Times. 11 November 2004. Web. 5 September 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/11/garden/11NATU.html>