Explain with examples the ways in which the Renaissance spirit of a rediscovery of the classics and the new Humanist ways of thinking were expressed in the design and content of the Italian Renaissance garden.

The Renaissance was an incredible time of rediscovery, rebirth, and reevaluation about man's relationship with god and with the earthly world. The areas of life that were most affected by this transformation were the arts, painting, sculpture, literature, and of course, gardens. The rediscovery of ancient Roman texts, as well as the more modern mathematic advances in the art world, which led to a revolutionary take on perspective, influenced all aspects of garden design. 

Because of newly introduced humanist theories, the structure of the garden began to revolve less around the gods or nature, and more around the people enjoying them. Villas became the center piece for the garden, which would be built around this structure in a way that would maximize enjoyment of the landscape.

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Often built on hills, around natural springs, these gardens were used as an accessory to the villa, to create a certain feeling for the person walking through the garden before reaching the main destination, the villa. The villa would often be built on the top of the hill, with the garden descending downward so that the owner of the villa could look onto it and be able to see the entire landscape.

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Gardens built during the Renaissance were grand, using ornate fountains, lots of running water, and exotic plants. Because of the recent importance and use of mathematics within art, the architecture of gardens became very geometric, with symmetry and axial unity. New concepts of art and perspective were introduced during the Renaissance, which influenced the fluidity of a garden, and made the architecture of the garden along with the villa a more holistic plan. These gardens were all about aesthetics, and all to be treasured by the people. The grandness of the garden was used to amuse and impress visitors. The Renaissance was a time to delight in and appreciate art and beauty, and gardens were certainly no exception. 

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In Roman, Mediæval and Muslim cultures how did /does the garden play a role in their respective religions?

Despite the obvious and extensive contrasts between Roman, Mediæval and Muslim cultures, their use of and purpose for gardens is similar in that it connects each of them to divinity and spirituality in different ways. Within each culture, the structure, design, and content of the gardens work together to create a feeling of peace or promote worship within their respective religions.

Within Roman culture, the gardens (for the upper classes) were used both to stimulate intellectual thought, and to admire beauty. Often, times spent in the garden would spark enlightening and philosophical conversation. Naturally, these concepts also brought up the topic of religion. The Romans considered themselves very religious, and used gardens as a way to admire the gods, and maintain a good relationship with them through worship. They would do this by using statues and fountains depicting the gods as a center piece for the garden space.

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People of the Mediæval times used gardens in a religious context as well, although in a very different manner. I suppose the monasteries of the Mediæval times would consider Roman gardens to be garish and over the top, because their gardens were utilitarian, rather than for leisure. The monks were self-sufficient, and therefore their gardens were sensibly designed, planted with everything they needed in the small community, including fruits, vegetables and spices.

However, another type of Mediæval garden was more extravagant, because it was supposed to be symbolic of paradise. These gardens used imagery from the story of Eden. Plant symbolism and statues were both used to depict Eve in the garden as pure, while her surroundings were lush and green, signifying a place of paradise.

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The gardens of Islam relied heavily on physical structure of the garden to depict religious themes. The use of water was very prevalent in Islamic gardens in creating the quadripartite structure, used first by the Romans, to divide the garden into four sections, symbolic of the four rivers in the Garden of Eden. The Qur’an, being at the center of Islamic religion, was used as a backbone in creating beautiful gardens, based on the prophet Muhammad’s saying “God is beautiful and he loves beauty” and also references to the “Gardens of paradise.” Muslims sought the concept earthly paradise in their garden settings, and hoped that they could recreate heaven on earth through the use of lush plants, beautiful flowers, and flowing water. 

Why do you think gardens have always been an intrinsic part of European culture?

Throughout these first couple weeks of class, studying diverse cultures like the Roman Empire, Grecian societies, and medieval times, it is clearer to me than ever before just how interconnected gardens have been throughout history in all different aspects of life. From Roman otium, to a medieval serf's need to supplement the diet, gardens, both on a large and small scale, are an integral piece of society. 

Gardening has always been very important to me, because I grew up exploring and learning about nature in my grandmother’s lush vegetable and herb garden, and spent my free time running around and scraping my knees in my mother’s flower garden. However, this is the first time I have really had the opportunity to explore gardens from a historical perspective, and it turns out even thousands of years ago, they were using gardens for some of the same reasons that I still do, as an escape.

Before technology, globalization, and our ability to have oranges all around the world in the dead of winter, serfs, villeins, and townspeople in the medieval times were supplying the nourishment for their own diets in their backyards. What has struck me during these past couple weeks of studying these ancient societies is that people thousands of years ago were much more connected and dependent on the land, something that many would say we are moving towards once again because of the local food movement. However, in these times, it was the common folk who had utilitarian gardens, while the ruling class had the luxury of a lush, sweeping garden for leisure and peace of mind. In this way, gardens are not only universal, but extraordinarily diverse in practice and application, as they still are. Gardens have transformed throughout time to fill the void we need them for at the time. Whether they are for aesthetic or useful purposes, a garden can be used by anyone, which is why they have been so prevalent throughout history, and are still relevant today. 

The Romans’ practice of otium in their gardens was something I connected with as well. Their appreciation of leisure time, and use of gardens or green space to do something creative or enlightening is something that has become very important to me, and for my own piece of mind, as I often use my access to gardens to think, reflect, or write. I suppose that the greatest surprise I have learned so far is that despite the great differences between our current modern societies, and those thousands of years ago, we still value gardens, and use green space in similar ways, both for usefulness and for leisure time.