The Art and Philosophy of the Garden

The Art and Philosophy of the Garden offers the first authoritative and comprehensive philosophical discussion of the aesthetics of gardens. Philosopher David Fenner and horticulturist Ethan Fenner address such questions as: what is a garden? Are some gardens works of art? What does it mean to appreciate gardens aesthetically? Given that gardens are always changing in a variety of ways, how is it possible to compare, evaluate, or find meaning in them? How can we interpret gardens? How do we value gardens and gardening? While grounded in Western thought, Fenner and Fenner bring to bear global ideas and examples of gardens and gardening techniques.

Inspired by a surge of philosophical interest in gardening, Fenner and Fenner argue that some gardens are indeed works of art. They explore how we might understand the aesthetic properties of gardens, and focus on what it means to ＂read＂ the formal aspects of gardens -- what the authors call ＂garden form＂ -- as a basis for interpreting a garden. They discuss the intersection of gardens/gardening and value: questions such as what sort of value 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.

This comprehensive philosophical discussion on the aesthetics of gardens and gardening will not only interest those concerned with garden theory but will interest any thoughtful and intellectually curious gardener.

David Fenner joined the University of North Florida in 1992. Since then, he has served as interim chair of the Philosophy Department, associate dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, dean of the Graduate School, and president of the Faculty Association. He was elected Distinguished Professor by the faculty in 2010. In 1995 and 1996, he was Visiting Fellow of Moral Philosophy at the University of St Andrews.

Ethan Fenner joined the University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley in 2019, having graduated that same year from the School of Professional Horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden. He has interned and studied with a number of Botanical Gardens, including the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew, in 2014 and the San Francisco Botanical Garden in 2018. In 2021, he was invited to speak at the Sixth International Symposium of Seoul Botanic Park. At UCBG Ethan is currently in charge of the Southern African Collection and the Cycad and Palm Collection.