Garden vs. Park: What's the Difference?
Edited by Harlon Moss || By Janet White || Updated on October 8, 2023
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, for the display, cultivation, or enjoyment of plants, while a park is a large public green area in a town, used for recreation.
Key Differences
A garden is typically a smaller, more structured space specifically designed for the cultivation and enjoyment of plants and flowers. Gardens can be private or public, and they often feature a variety of plants, flowers, and sometimes vegetables. A park, conversely, is usually a larger, open public area reserved for recreational activities and may include grassy areas, play structures, walking trails, and wooded areas. Parks are often designed to provide open space for people to relax, play, and enjoy nature.
While gardens are generally focused on cultivating plants, and may sometimes have walkways, benches, and water features to enhance the enjoyment of the flora, the emphasis is on plant life. In contrast, parks are designed for a variety of recreational activities and may include sports fields, playgrounds, benches, and picnic areas, with plant life serving as a scenic backdrop rather than the main focus. Parks can be natural or may have landscaped areas, but they offer a range of activities and uses that gardens do not.
Another difference between gardens and parks is in their sizes and settings. Gardens are usually smaller and can be found in a variety of settings including homes, schools, and institutions. They may be designed for aesthetic enjoyment, as a hobby, or for growing vegetables. Parks are typically more extensive, providing substantial open space in urban or suburban environments, and they serve as communal areas where people can engage in outdoor activities, sports, or relaxation.
Finally, gardens usually exhibit a higher degree of cultivation and maintenance compared to parks. They often require more intensive care, including watering, pruning, and weeding, to maintain their planned and organized appearance. Parks, while also maintained, may have large areas of natural or semi-natural landscapes, allowing for a more extensive and less cultivated environment, serving as a habitat for wildlife and a place for human recreation.
Comparison Chart
Purpose
Cultivation and enjoyment of plants and flowers
Recreation and enjoyment of open, green space
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Size & Setting
Smaller; can be private or public; found in various settings
Larger; typically public; located in urban or suburban areas
Focus
Plant life
A variety of recreational activities
Level of Cultivation
High; requires regular maintenance and care
Variable; may include natural or landscaped areas
Accessibility
Can be private or public
Public
Garden and Park Definitions
Garden
A designated area for growing plants, flowers, or vegetables.
They planted roses and tulips in the garden.
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Park
A piece of land with few or no buildings within or adjoining a town, maintained for recreational and ornamental purposes.
Garden
A cultivated area with decorative plants.
The botanical garden featured exotic plants from around the world.
Park
A landscaped city square.
Garden
A private yard or enclosure for enjoyment or cultivation.
They spent their weekends tending to their garden.
Park
A large tract of rural land kept in its natural state and usually reserved for the enjoyment and recreation of visitors.
Garden
A plot of land used for the cultivation of flowers, vegetables, herbs, or fruit.
Park
A broad, fairly level valley between mountain ranges
The high parks of the Rocky Mountains.
Garden
An arrangement of living material that is cultivated for food, as a fungus garden maintained by ants.
Park
A tract of land attached to a country house, especially when including extensive gardens, woods, pastures, or a game preserve.
Garden
Often gardens Grounds laid out with flowers, trees, and ornamental shrubs and used for recreation or display
Public gardens.
A botanical garden.
Park
(Sports)A stadium or an enclosed playing field
A baseball park.
Garden
A yard or lawn.
Park
An area where military vehicles or artillery are stored and serviced.
Garden
A fertile, well-cultivated region.
Park
The materiel kept in such an area.
Garden
An open-air establishment where refreshments are served.
Park
An area in or near a town designed and usually zoned for a certain purpose
A commercial park.
Garden
A large public auditorium or arena.
Park
A position in an automatic transmission that disengages the gears and sets the brake so the vehicle cannot move
Put the car in park and turned off the engine.
Garden
To cultivate (a plot of ground) as a garden.
Park
To put or leave (a vehicle) for a time in a certain location.
Garden
To furnish with a garden.
Park
(Aerospace)To place (a spacecraft or satellite) in a usually temporary orbit.
Garden
To plant or tend a garden.
Park
(Informal)To place or leave temporarily
Parked the baby with neighbors.
Parking cash in a local bank account.
Garden
To work as a gardener.
Park
To assemble (artillery or other equipment) in a military park.
Garden
Of, suitable to, or used in a garden
Garden tools.
Garden vegetables.
Park
To park a motor vehicle
Pulled over and parked next to the curb.
Garden
Provided with open areas and greenery
A garden community.
Park
(Slang)To engage in kissing and caressing in a vehicle stopped in a secluded spot.
Garden
Garden-variety.
Park
An area of land set aside for environment preservation or recreation.
Garden
An outdoor area containing one or more types of plants, usually plants grown for food or ornamental purposes.
A vegetable garden
A flower garden
Park
A tract of ground kept in its natural state, about or adjacent to a residence, such as for the preservation of game, for walking, riding, or the like.
Garden
(in the plural) Such an ornamental place to which the public have access.
You can spend the afternoon walking around the town gardens.
Park
A piece of ground in or near a city or town, enclosed and kept for ornament and recreation.
Hyde Park in London;
Central Park in New York
Garden
(attributive) Taking place in, or used in, such a garden.
A garden party;
A garden path;
A garden spade
Park
An enclosed parcel of land stocked with animals for hunting, which one may have by prescription or royal grant.
Garden
The grounds at the front or back of a house.
This house has a swimming pool, a tent, a swing set and a fountain in the garden.
We were drinking lemonade and playing croquet in the garden.
Our garden is overgrown with weeds.
Park
(US) A wide, flat-bottomed valley in a mountainous region.
Garden
(cartomancy) The twentieth Lenormand card.
Park
An area used for specific purposes.
Garden
(figuratively) A cluster; a bunch.
Park
An open space occupied by or reserved for vehicles, matériel or stores.
A wagon park;
An artillery park
Garden
(slang) Pubic hair or the genitalia it masks.
Park
A partially enclosed basin in which oysters are grown.
Garden
To grow plants in a garden; to create or maintain a garden.
I love to garden — this year I'm going to plant some daffodils.
Park
An area zoned for a particular (industrial or commercial) purpose.
Business park;
Industrial park;
Science park
Garden
Of a batsman, to inspect and tap the pitch lightly with the bat so as to smooth out small rough patches and irregularities.
Park
An area on which a sporting match is played; (soccer) a pitch.
Garden
Common, ordinary, domesticated.
Park
(UK) An inventory of matériel.
A country's tank park or artillery park.
Garden
A piece of ground appropriated to the cultivation of herbs, fruits, flowers, or vegetables.
Park
A space in which to leave a car; a parking space.
Garden
A rich, well-cultivated spot or tract of country.
I am arrived from fruitful Lombardy,The pleasant garden of great Italy.
Park
(transitive) To bring (something such as a vehicle) to a halt or store in a specified place.
You can park the car in front of the house.
I parked the drive heads of my hard disk before travelling with my laptop.
Garden
To lay out or cultivate a garden; to labor in a garden; to practice horticulture.
Park
To defer (a matter) until a later date.
Let's park that until next week's meeting.
Garden
To cultivate as a garden.
Park
(transitive) To bring together in a park, or compact body.
To park artillery, wagons, automobiles, etc.
Garden
A plot of ground where plants are cultivated
Park
(transitive) To enclose in a park, or as in a park.
Garden
The flowers or vegetables or fruits or herbs that are cultivated in a garden
Park
To hit a home run; to hit the ball out of the park.
He really parked that one.
Garden
A yard or lawn adjoining a house
Park
To engage in romantic or sexual activities inside a nonmoving vehicle that was driven to a suitable spot for that purpose.
They stopped at a romantic overlook, shut off the engine, and parked.
Garden
Work in the garden;
My hobby is gardening
Park
To sit, recline, or put, especially in a manner suggesting an intent to remain for some time.
He came in and parked himself in our living room.
Park your bags in the hall.
Garden
An ornamental, structured area for public enjoyment.
Tourists flocked to the beautifully landscaped garden.
Park
To invest money temporarily in an investment instrument considered to relatively free of risk, especially while awaiting other opportunities.
We decided to park our money in a safe, stable, low-yield bond fund until market conditions improve.
Garden
A piece of ground used to grow herbs, fruits, flowers, or vegetables.
She grew tomatoes and basil in her kitchen garden.
Park
(Internet) To register a domain name, but make no use of it (See domain parking)
Park
To enclose in a park, or partially enclosed basin.
Park
To promenade or drive in a park.
Park
To display style or gait on a park drive.
Park
A piece of ground inclosed, and stored with beasts of the chase, which a man may have by prescription, or the king's grant.
Park
A tract of ground kept in its natural state, about or adjacent to a residence, as for the preservation of game, for walking, riding, or the like.
While in the park I sing, the listening deerAttend my passion, and forget to fear.
Park
A piece of ground, in or near a city or town, inclosed and kept for ornament and recreation; as, Hyde Park in London; Central Park in New York.
Park
A space occupied by the animals, wagons, pontoons, and materials of all kinds, as ammunition, ordnance stores, hospital stores, provisions, etc., when brought together; also, the objects themselves; as, a park of wagons; a park of artillery.
Park
A partially inclosed basin in which oysters are grown.
Park
Any place where vehicles are assembled according to a definite arrangement; also, the vehicles.
Park
A position of the gear lever in a vehicle with automatic transmission, used when the vehicle is stopped, in which the transmission is in neutral and a brake is engaged.
Park
To inclose in a park, or as in a park.
How are we parked, and bounded in a pale.
Park
To bring together in a park, or compact body; as, to park artillery, wagons, automobiles, etc.
Park
In oyster culture, to inclose in a park.
Park
To bring (a vehicle) to a stop and leave it standing; - typically a parked vehicle is off of the public road, the motor is not running, and the driver has left the vehicle.
Park
To place (an object) in a temporary location; as, to park oneself on the couch; to park one's money in a mutual fund.
Park
To promenade or drive in a park; also, of horses, to display style or gait on a park drive.
Park
To come to a stop [in a vehicle] off of the public road and leave the vehicle standing; - typically the motor of a parked vehicle is not left running; as, he parked in a no-parking zone.
Park
A large area of land preserved in its natural state as public property;
There are laws that protect the wildlife in this park
Park
A piece of open land for recreational use in an urban area;
They went for a walk in the park
Park
A facility in which ball games are played (especially baseball games);
Take me out to the ballpark
Park
Scottish explorer in Africa (1771-1806)
Park
A lot where cars are parked
Park
A gear position that acts as a parking brake;
The put the car in park and got out
Park
Place temporarily;
Park the car in the yard
Park the children with the in-laws
Park your bag in this locker
Park
Maneuver a vehicle into a parking space;
Park the car in front of the library
Can you park right here?
Park
A large public green area used for recreation.
The children played joyfully in the park.
Park
An area of open land for public enjoyment.
The city park offers walking trails and picnic areas.
Park
A recreational area with facilities such as playgrounds or sports fields.
The community park has a soccer field and a playground.
Park
A natural reserve preserved for conservation.
The national park is home to diverse wildlife and stunning landscapes.
Park
A communal open space in urban or suburban environments.
Residents gathered for a concert in the park.
FAQs
Can a garden be a public space?
Yes, there are public gardens available for communal enjoyment.
Can parks have gardens within them?
Absolutely, many parks feature designated garden areas.
Are parks always open to the public?
Most parks are public, but some may have restricted access or require admission.
Can a garden exist within private property?
Certainly, many gardens are located within private residences.
Can a garden have recreational facilities?
While not common, some gardens may have recreational facilities or spaces.
Can parks have wildlife?
Absolutely, especially in natural or semi-natural parks, wildlife is common.
Do all parks have playgrounds?
While many do, not all parks feature playgrounds.
Can a garden be indoors?
Yes, gardens can be indoors, like a greenhouse or a terrarium.
Can parks be privately owned?
While rarer, there can be privately owned parks, often with restricted access.
Are all parks natural reserves?
No, parks vary and can be natural reserves, recreational spaces, or a mix of both.
Do gardens always contain flowers?
No, gardens can also contain vegetables, herbs, and other plants.
Are gardens always small?
While often smaller than parks, gardens can vary significantly in size.
Can a garden be part of a park?
Indeed, many parks incorporate gardens for visitors to enjoy.
Can parks be used for sports?
Yes, many parks offer facilities for sports like soccer, basketball, and more.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
