Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including:
living elements, such as flora or fauna
gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal of creating a beautiful environment within the landscape
natural elements such as landforms, terrain shape and elevation, or bodies of water
human elements such as structures, buildings, fences or other material objects created and/or installed by humans
abstract elements such as the weather and lighting conditions
Landscaping is both science and art, and requires good observation and design skills. A good landscaper understands the elements of nature and construction, and blends them accordingly.
In order for human activity to be considered landscaping, it must be directed toward modifying the physical features of the land itself, including the cultivation and/or manipulation of plants or other flora.
Thales, the Greek Philosopher, argued that ‘any aspect of the material world affecting our visual perception of the land was a proper subject for landscaping’.
Philosophers in the 17th century debated whether visual beauty was a necessary goal of landscaping, with most having rejected the notion of an ‘objective aesthetic standard’ for any form of art, including landscaping.
