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.