In Monastic Gardens, Mick Hales goes behind the gates for a rare look at the integral role a garden plays in the life of a monastery. Gardening is not undertaken for decorative purposes alone: Instead, fruits and vegetables flavor meals and carefully tended refuges are the perfect spot to pray. Surprisingly vibrant blossoms may even decorate a guest room or altar. Starting from the cloister garth and spanning outward to the sacristan's cutting garden, the physic or herb garden, the vegetable garden, the orchards, and the vineyards, Hales's evocative images capture the many facets and functions of monastic grounds.
Through insightful interviews, members of the different orders discuss the divine purpose of gardenin