Gardens, Landscape, and Nature’s Genius

Gilles Clément occupies a special global position at the crossroads between philosophy, ecology, art, and landscape architecture. Over the years, he has contributed a number of seminal concepts: ‘The Planetary Garden’, ‘The Third Landscape’, ‘A Humanist Ecology’, and ‘The Garden in Motion’. His work has been driven by the dictum of “always work with nature, never against her.” 

In this book, Gardens, Landscape, and Nature’s Genius, Clément introduces his key concepts. Originally written in 2011 as Clément’s inaugural lecture at the prestigious Collège de France in Paris, the book is now translated into English for the first time. The text is accompanied by Clément’s own illustrations and a selection of new photographs from his La Vallée garden in Creuse – his remarkable planetary laboratory.  

This book is a rare opportunity to access Gilles Clément´s original mindset and gain insight into a place of inspiration and co-creation with nature. Clément’s words and work are more relevant now than ever, presenting a tremendously powerful and relevant impetus for rethinking our present and future relationships with nature, garden culture, and sustainability.