Q: Explain with examples the ways in which the Renaissance spirit of a rediscovery of the classics and the new Humanist ways of thinking were expressed in the design and content of the Italian Renaissance garden.

The renaissance spirit of rediscovery and innovation is seen in every aspect of Renaissance life and influence, most definitely including gardens. The spirit brought forward in the Renaissance of the re-evaluation of man's relationship with God, as well as the rediscovery of classical texts and philosophers, led to the new wave of art, design, and intellectual life. The evolving idea of Humanism saw the man as rational and able to decide and think for himself. 

One of the main effects of this new wave of knowledge was art, with the idea of linear perspective and realism. Below a painting from the Renaissance can be seen using linear perspective and realism. When looking at this picture is feels as if you are there watching the events.

(https://bscheff22.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/school-of-athens.jpg)

Linear Perspective and realism from the paintings reflected on the creation of the Renaissance garden.  Renaissance gardens often had axial alignment and symmetry which can be seen in the garden below.

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Villandry_Jardins_style_Renaissance.jpg)

The axial alignment of the garden can be seen down the middle of the pictures with symmetry on both sides. 

Next, architecture also had a huge influence on the creation of the Renaissance garden. The villas often had classical Green and Roman features-- arches, fountains, pillars, and gardens-- but most were shed in a new light to explore the relationship between man, God, and nature. The Renaissance manw as inspired by the descriptions of ancient Roman gardens given by Ovid in his Metamorphoses, by the letters of Pliny the Younger, by Pliny the Elder's Naturalis Historia, which gave detailed descriptions of the gardens of the Roman villa. Prior to the Renaissance, Medieaval gardens were enclosed and usually used for growing food or medicinal herbs --in the case of a monastic garden. The Renaissance garden broke down the wall between the garden and the outside world. 


Lastly, science also had an impact on the creation of the Renaissance garden, in particular the study of botany through the classification of plants. The first botanical gardens were created in the Renaissance. In 1545, a student from the medical school of the University of Padua, wrote a book describing medicinal uses of 12,000 different plants, which was aided by sailors returning from the New World who brought back samples of unknown plants. In 1543, the first botanical garden was created, and by 1591, it had more than 1,168 different plants and trees. Soon after, many followed the trend of the botanical garden. The humanistic view of relying on critical thinking over faith allowed for this scientific discovery of the botanical garden. 

(http://www.everettpotter.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Renaissance-Garden.jpg)

Useful Links:
http://historyguide.org/intellect/humanism.html

http://www.poderesantapia.com/gardens/italianrenaissancegarden.htm

http://www.hamiltongardens.co.nz/collections/paradise-collection/italian-renaissance-garden