Home gardening: Esthetics and beliefs interwoven in daily life

Gardening, one of the significant cultural heritages of agrarian civilization, is characterized by its alignment with natural rhythms, self-reliance, self-sufficiency, and a harmonious relationship with nature. It is not merely a “spatial container” that carries natural and cultural genes, sheltering both life and the soul but also an organic component of the material and immaterial forms in urban-rural contexts. Although it constitutes a microsystem, gardening far exceeds the definition of physical space, as it embodies people’s daily emotions and pursuits in nature, esthetics, art, health, and social interaction. To date, it continues to influence the “spatial production” of human habitats and social practices. This article focuses on the profound impact of gardening on human esthetic and spiritual life throughout its long historical evolution, as well as its interactive relationship with simple living. It also explores the public participation and practical pathways of gardening in contemporary urban spaces, and addresses the questions: What are the humanistic and economic values of gardening, and how will it shape our future? Starting from the cultural history of gardening, this article adopts an interdisciplinary research approach to discuss the multiple metaphors of gardening from the perspective of humanistic thought. This article concludes that although gardening is only a microsystem, it is omnipresent, with its most notable features being naturalness, physicality, relationality, and immersiveness. In the context of climate change, gardening is not only a sanctuary for survival but also a space for reshaping humanity, as well as a source of human esthetic and faith.