Gardens in Art analyzes the constituent elements of gardens, both real and imagined, and uncovers their often-hidden symbolic meanings. Paintings provide a continuous visual record of the myriad, ephemeral forms of gardens, and in the nearly four hundred works presented here, drawn from important Western museums, subtle lines are used to point out salient details in the paintings for close examination by the reader.

In the first five chapters, the author examines the main types of gardens throughout history: from the humble medieval enclosure as a site for sacred or secular devotions, to the garden as a magnificent celebration of the power of popes and kings, to the nineteenth century's great public parks. The second half of the book looks at the decorative elements of gardens-including topiaries, statues, grottoes, and labyrinths--and discusses how these provide clues to their use and importance within the cultures in which they were created.