“I think having land and not ruining it is the most beautiful art that anybody could ever want.”—Andy Warhol

Humans as creators have expressed their reverent appreciation for nature for thousands of years. From the cave paintings in Lascaux, France to the poetry of Mary Oliver, the fulfillment of expressing our response to Nature in fashion and music to operas and art, fills our museums and our hearts.  Artistic expression is a biophilic response- a term the acclaimed biologist Edward O. Wilson claimed, was part of our DNA. We are born with a love of Nature. When we are in the forest or desert, or on a beach or mountaintop, we don’t think about enhancing the room with art as we might decorate a room. It is enough.

Yes  ‘It is the most beautiful art anybody could ever want.’ In nature, we may be so awestruck that we don’t think about snapping a few pictures to seize the moment. We want the experience of the “painting” to get fully etched into our souls. We feel good, hopeful, patient, and aware.

So where does Garden Art fit in?  The answer to that question is simple: it’s a personal choice, in the same way we choose bold colors over pastels, topiary over natural forms, wood floors or carpets. Since gardens are basically outdoor rooms, garden art, like a walled arrangement of photographs, is personal, expressive, and part of your story. A collection of outdoor pottery from HomeGoods that reminds you of a trip to Spain; a piece of driftwood you found on a post storm beach walk, or a sculpture made of old farming tools, all fit in to your story. You get to decide how and where its placed. Is it a focal point like a fiberglass sculpture in the middle of a meadow, a mandala under a tree, or collection of favorite shells that you attach to a sitting wall? It doesn’t matter because gardens as art forms are intrinsically more adaptive than rooms. (except maybe an empty white one) Understanding how the eye perceives color and shape may help, but I say when it comes to self-expression, trust yourself. Move things around from time to time. Create different moods according to the seasons or season of life. Savor your story and find or create something that re-members you to it. If not, the land itself will speak sufficiently.

Nature IS Art.

If you would like to schedule a consultation for garden art and /or design, please go to this link: https://www.treysgardens.com/