Abstract

Though Ian Hamilton Finlay’s (1925–2006) famous work, Little Sparta, was voted the most important work of Scottish art, his influence—and works—is found worldwide. Nature Over Again reveals the story behind Finlay’s renowned horticultural works, presenting the first study that examines all of his garden designs and “interventions.”
An accomplished Scottish poet, writer, artist, and gardener, Finlay infused his garden designs with his distinct aesthetic philosophy and poetic sensibility. John Dixon Hunt situates his analysis of Finlay’s gardens in the context of that broader philosophy and poetic work, drawing on Finlay’s writings about the art and practice of garden design. From the Max Planck Institute in Stuttgart to the University of California at San Diego campus, the book documents how Finlay built an oeuvre of international renown—ultimately arguing that Finlay’s innovations are best understood in the context of the long tradition of European gardens.   Copiously illustrated, Nature Over Again brings the work of this distinguished modernist to vivid life.  

"Dixon Hunt is a sensitive guide, alighting on often complex and intertwined themes while lending Finlay's garden art a seriousness that seems to elude some art historians. Keeping the reader attuned to poetry in art and nature, it's a book that will appeal equally to fans of Finlay and ardent horticulturists."

— Time Out London
"This book will appeal to the art historian, landscape architect, and semiologist. It is generously illustrated with color photographs throughout, and . . . they give the reader a sense of the landscapes and features portrayed." — Arlis
John Dixon Hunt is professor of the History and Theory of Landscape in the Department of Landscape Architecture in the School of Design at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of many other books, including Greater Perfections: The Practice of Garden Theory, The Picturesque Garden in Europe, and The Afterlife of Gardens.