Landscaping: Home Landscaping Gardening and Much More

By Harry Bernstein

Landscaping a Short History

Landscaping is the skilled method by which we can visually change the physical world around us.  These days though, when people speak of landscaping, they are generally discussing the practice of planting decorative trees, plants and shrubs in order to enhance the appearance of their locale.  This last definition somewhat over simplifies what landscaping truly is as you will see by exploring this site.

In ancient Greece, the first civilization to engage in philosophical thought, landscaping was an important topic.  It has been mentioned in the works of such philosophical Hall of Famers as Plato and Aristotle.  In the Far East, landscaping was and still is an important part of many cultures spirituality.  Achieving balance among the various elements of landscaping – water, rocks, earth, and plants – is a major goal for followers of most of the Eastern religions.

Landscaping Mixing Art with Nature

In the recent past as well as modern times, even the artistically-minded began to turn their attention toward the burgeoning art form of landscaping.  What better canvas to work on than the outdoors?  Imagine the freedom and potential that an artist must feel when he looks out on a parcel of land and begins to decide how he can turn that land into a gigantic artistic masterpiece.  As with every medium, there has been much debate over whether beauty should be the chief goal of landscaping.  While most people are indeed trying to make something that looks as good as possible, the more avant garde artists have been able to use landscaping to create art that goes beyond mere beauty.  By creating a work of art that may be seen as jarring or ugly, they are often making a broader statement about the world than to simply make something look pleasing to the eye. 

Landscaping As We Know It Today

Landscaping practices are as more varied and extensive than ever before.  From new home construction to remodeling existing structures, many people are choosing to hire a trained and experienced landscaper to bring out the best in their property.  On the other hand, many people enjoy taking on the challenge of gardening and landscaping on their own .  In the last few years, landscaping has experienced incredible commercial growth, giving rise to many ventures specializing in gardening and landscaping service, products, and equipment.  Just take the time to walk through any Lowe's or Home Depot and you can see what all the excitement is about.