Jeremy Bentham and gardens

‘Mr Bentham, our greatest philosopher, it is my pleasure to see you again. I am better than for some years past, yet still buffeted by the winds of outrageous fortune. How is your health?’... ‘For a man of 80, better than expected. But I have been worrying about your indisposition.’ This is a quote from The Claudians: gardens, landscapes, reason and faith: John Claudius Loudon and Claudius Buchanan, Tom Turner (Kindle, 2024). 

Bentham’s Influence on Utilitarianism and Landscape Architecture

Bentham was a pivotal figure in shaping and popularising utilitarianism. In 1769, Bentham formulated his "Principle of Utility," stating that actions are morally right if they promote ‘the greatest happiness for the greatest number.’ The principle is relevant to garden and urban design.

Jeremy Bentham had a significant interest in gardens, particularly in relation to their design and potential utility. One of his notable contributions in this regard was his work on the Panopticon, a theoretical architectural design for a prison. Bentham also considered the surrounding grounds, including the idea of incorporating gardens into the design of the prison. He believed that gardens could serve as spaces for recreation and relaxation for both prisoners and staff. Bentham recognized the inherent value of nature and its calming influence. He saw gardens as spaces for contemplation, reflection, and escape from the bustle of city life. He wrote that:

“This being the case, every innocent amusement that the human heart can invent is useful under a double point of view. First, for the pleasure itself, which results from it. Second from its tendency to weaken the dangerous inclinations which man derives from his nature. And when I speak of innocent amusements, I mean all those which cannot be shown to be hurtful. Their introduction being favourable to the happiness of society, it is the duty of the legislator to encourage them, or, at least, not to oppose any obstacle to them…. There are trees, which bear excellent fruits, or poisons, according to the aspect in which they are found, according to the culture of the gardener, and even according to the wind which prevails, and the temperature of the day… The improvement of every thing which constitutes elegance, whether of dress or furniture, the embellishment of gardens, &c.”

John Claudius Loudon, a friend and admirer of Bentham's, supported the idea of planning for the welfare of the general public, which he might have thought of as 'landscape architecture.' Loudon did not have a summer house in his Porchester Place garden but designed it for the scientific and horticultural study of garden plants.

Bentham’s Vision: Gardens as Utilitarian Spaces 

Bentham's belief in the "greatest happiness for the greatest number" extended beyond politics and society. He saw the potential for applying utilitarian principles to his own garden in Queen Anne's Gate. He used the garden space to grow vegetables, to learn about plants and to use for exercise, writing and contemplation (in his garden house).

The Panopticon, a circular prison with a central observation tower, was designed to maximize surveillance and control. However, Bentham also considered the surrounding grounds, envisioning gardens as a means to improve the well-being of both prisoners and guards. He believed that nature could provide a sense of tranquility and rehabilitation.