Unity in diversity – the attribute of major semiosic non-verbal constructions

Abstract

The vast domain of the gardens – defined from a semiotic perspective as major semiosic non-verbal constructions, is usually made up of heterogenous elements connected to each other through various relationships, so that to create a meaningful whole. The heterogenous elements – be they natural or artificial, created by people– are selected, arranged, combined and ordered in a targeted manner to form a coherent whole, producing a unity in diversity – the attribute or the defining characteristic of any garden. The constitutive elements are involved in different levels of communication, starting from biological communication up to cultural symbolism, from personal cognition up to social identities, enabling a better understanding of the garden’s design, related to the multitude of social, philosophical, religious, and cultural discourses, as well as the traditions which give them a meaning. The gardens represent a space of convergence where nature and culture (art, science, techniques) intertwine, complementing each other, creating a whole, in other words a unity in diversity.