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Shakespeare Gardens Bring the Poet’s Language to Life

Carefully curated formal gardens across the nation combine William Shakespeare’s literary genius with his love for nature.
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Shakespeare Gardens Bring the Poet’s Language to Life
The Garden of the Heart in Central Park, New York City, was renamed after William Shakespeare in 1916 to mark the 300th anniversary of his death.johnandersonphoto/Getty Images
Walker Larson
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William Shakespeare referenced 175 different species of plants in his works. The Bard set 29 of his scenes in gardens, from secret lovers’ meetings to grand political debates. Plants wind their way through the settings and similes of Shakespeare’s oeuvre, enriching his creative worlds.

As Todd Borlik told Smithsonian Magazine: “The sheer volume of species in Shakespeare’s poetry is an index of his attentiveness to the natural world. He must have sensed in it a kind of creativity that his own imagination resonated with that he tried to rival in his work.”

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Walker Larson
Walker Larson
Author
Before becoming a freelance journalist and culture writer, Walker Larson taught literature and history at a private academy in Wisconsin, where he resides with his wife and daughter. He holds a master’s in English literature and language, and his writing has appeared in The Hemingway Review, Intellectual Takeout, and his Substack, The Hazelnut. He is also the author of two novels, “Hologram” and “Song of Spheres.”