Gardens and Nature

Chapters 17 & 18 in the Ecology of Eden talked about how in medieval days, gardens were used as a wall between the outside world and the home. People believed that they were safe when they were enclosed in the walls of a garden. When inside of an enclosed space, there is no need for fear of the outside world. In medieval times, people avoided the outside world because of disease, but nowadays, it seems that humans avoid the outside world to avoid contact with nature. A child would much rather be inside on a sunny day playing video games than be outside playing in the grass. In my opinion, a fear of nature is a fear of God's creation. It is a fear of seeing and being in something greater than oneself. Why do people create gardens? Is it for the desire to see beauty or is it really for the desire to tuck oneself away and not have to be in nature for too long?

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