| ning is an activity—the art and craft of growing | | | | the top. These are sometimes built indoors to help |
| plants—with a goal of creating a beautiful | | | | cure sick building syndrome or otherwise increase the |
| environment. Gardening most often takes place in or | | | | oxygen levels in recirculated air. |
| about one's residence, in a space referred to as the | | | | Gardening is considered to be an absolutely essential |
| garden. A garden that is in close proximity to one's | | | | art in most cultures. In Japan, for instance, Samurai |
| residence is also known as a residential garden. | | | | and Zen monks were often required to build |
| Although a garden typically is located on the land | | | | decorative gardens or practice related skills like |
| within, surrounding, or adjacent to a residence, it may | | | | flower arrangement known as ikebana. |
| also be located in less traditional locations such as on | | | | Social aspect |
| a roof, in an atrium, on a balcony, in a windowbox, or | | | | In modern Europe and North America, people often |
| on a patio. | | | | express their political or social views in gardens, |
| Gardening also takes place in non-residential green | | | | intentionally or not. The Green parties and |
| areas, such as parks, public or semi-public gardens | | | | Greenpeace often advise their campaigners to call |
| (botanical gardens or zoological gardens), amusement | | | | first on homeowners who have lush chaotic wild |
| and theme parks, along transportation corridors, and | | | | gardens, as these are deemed to be more likely to |
| around tourist attractions and hotels. In these | | | | respond to the Greens' political message than those |
| situations, a staff of gardeners or groundskeepers | | | | with AstroTurf or bluegrass lawns. No reliable |
| maintains the gardens. | | | | statistics support such claims, but for many years, in |
| Indoor gardening is concerned with the growing of | | | | the United States, there was a widespread belief |
| what are essentially houseplants within a residence or | | | | that there was such a thing as a Republican lawn and |
| building, in a conservatory, or in a greenhouse. Plants | | | | Democratic lawn. |
| grown in a conservatory or greenhouse may or may | | | | The lawn vs. garden issue is played out in urban |
| not require more exacting care and conditions than | | | | planning as the debate over the "land ethic" that is to |
| ordinary houseplants. Indoor gardens are sometimes | | | | determine urban land use and whether hyperhygienist |
| incorporated as part of air conditioning or heating | | | | bylaws (e.g. weed control) should apply, or whether |
| systems. Water gardening is concerned with growing | | | | land should generally be allowed to exist in its natural |
| plants adapted to pools and ponds. Bog gardens are | | | | wild state. In a famous Canadian Charter of Rights |
| also considered a type of water garden. These all | | | | case, "Sandra Bell vs. City of Toronto", 1997, the |
| require special conditions and considerations. A simple | | | | right to cultivate all native species, even most |
| water garden may consist solely of a tub containing | | | | varieties deemed noxious or allergenic, was upheld as |
| the water and plant(s). | | | | part of the right of free expression, at least in |
| In cryptanalysis, gardening was a term used at | | | | Canada. |
| Bletchley Park during World War II for schemes to | | | | Gardening is thus not only a food source and art, but |
| entice the Germans to include known plaintext, which | | | | also a right. The Slow Food movement has sought in |
| they called cribs, in their encrypted messages. It is | | | | some countries to add an edible schoolyard and |
| claimed to have been most effective against | | | | garden classrooms to schools, e.g. in Fergus, Ontario, |
| messages produced by the German Navy's Enigma | | | | where these were added to a public school to |
| machines | | | | augment the kitchen classroom. |
| In China, for instance, farmers regularly set up | | | | In US and British usage, the care, installation, and |
| outhouses on the roads to attract tourists to use | | | | maintenance of ornamental plantings in and around |
| them, furnishing the farmers with "night soil" (human | | | | commercial and institutional buildings is called |
| manure) for use as a fertiliser. These methods make | | | | landscaping, landscape maintenance or |
| excellent use of calories and minerals and water, but | | | | groundskeeping, while international usage uses the |
| of course violate the aesthetics of most Westerners, | | | | term gardening for these same activities. |
| who would balk at using stranger's human wastes on | | | | History |
| their own gardens. There is thus some conflict | | | | Gardening for food extends far back into prehistory. |
| between gardening for personal or aesthetic reasons, | | | | Ornamental gardens are known in ancient times (the |
| and for practical food-raising, even for one household. | | | | Hanging Gardens of Babylon), and ancient Rome had |
| The living wall is an unusual variant of a living machine | | | | dozens of gardens. See the History of gardening |
| and is effectively a vertical garden: water dripping | | | | article for more information, including a List of |
| down feeds a surface growing with moss and vines, | | | | historical garden types, as well as a List of notable |
| other plants, some insects and bacteria, and captured | | | | historical gardens. |
| at the bottom in a pool or pond to be recirculated to | | | | |