Drayton, Richard. "Plants and Power, and Notes." In Nature's Government,
Science, Imperial Britain, and the 'Improvement' of the World, 26-49, 281-286. New
York: Yale University Press, 2000.
Hoeksema Written Project 10 Drayton Abstract
In “Power and Plants, and Notes” (2000), Drayton addresses the question of
how natural science and plants became related to power in England form around
1550 to around 1750. He answers this question first by explaining how botany
became important to imperial theory. Princes were expected to be very educated
and botany was an important part of this education. The need of a teacher of botany
meant that botanists were important to the development of imperial leaders. The
importance of the study of plants in imperial households led to the prominence of
beautiful, lush gardens in the estates of the wealthy and sophisticated. Drayton
points out that the study of botany was limited in these situations because of the
affinity of the royalty and sophisticated citizens for bright, exotic plants. The topics
discussed in this chapter are important because they give background information
to the presence of gardens in society today, as well as explaining the history of
botany in England. Although his writing is thorough and thought-provoking, I
thought that Drayton’s use of quotes was distracting and took away from my ability
to enjoy the reading.
"The History of the Modern Taste in Gardening." In The Genius of the Place,
edited by John Dixon Hunt and Peter Willis, 313-316. New York: Harper & Row,
publishers, 1975.
Hoeksema Written Project 10 Wadpole Abstract
In “The History of the Modern Taste in Gardening,” (1771/1780), Wadpole
addresses how garden landscapes came to attempt to be “natural” with imperfections
instead of simply a landscape beautifully removed from the outside. One of Wadpole’s
main focuses was on the work of Kent. In Kent’s landscapes, he attempted to couple the
visually appealing parts of a garden with the flaws of nature. He decreased the thickness
and quantity of trees in the foreground in order to create more light and shapes with the
shadows. This made the scene more pleasing to the eye because it softened the darkness
of the wood and dark shadows. To make the landscape seem more natural, Kent would
create trickling streams looping through the brush of the gardens, attempting to make the
streams look as though they were, “taught to serpentize seemingly at their own pleasure.”
(Wadpole 314). The descriptions of a garden attempting to be natural are important
because they give the reader a history as to why gardens have become what they are
today. I enjoyed Wadpole’s writing because it was sufficiently descriptive and the style
was enjoyable to read compared to some of the other readings, such as Drayton.
Thomas, Keith. "Cultivation or Wilderness?" In Man and the Natural World:
Changing Attitudes in England, 1500-1800, 254-269. New York: Oxford University
Press, 1983.
Hoeksema Written project 10 Thomas Abstract
In “Cultivation or Wilderness?” Keith asks why the affinity for geometrical and
orderly gardens and lands during the early 18th century switched to one for the wild,
untamed and untouched landscapes. There were many factors that made the natural
landscapes more appealing including transportation, a deviation from the norm, and the
emergence of religion. The developments of transportation during the 18th century made
it much easier and safer for people to have access to the rugged and dangerous
mountains. Natural, uncultivated landscapes became very enticing to those in England
who had become so used to the sharp lines and geometry of the English garden. Another
factor to this change in England was due to the vast majority of cultivated lands. Almost
all of the plains and valleys had become symmetrical gardens. However, Thomas argues
that probably the largest component to this change in taste from orderly to wild was
because of religion. People began to find the mountains as tall and majestic instead of
abhorred and scary. The wild landscapes became sublime because they were made
directly by God, and not changed my humans. Thomas’ explanation of these changes in
preferences is important and evident today because there is a clear love of mountainous
views and wild landscapes today. I enjoyed this reading more than others because I liked
Thomas’ simple writing style and the points he makes about the topic.