The Sound of Music: The Germination of the Synth in Mort Garson’s 'Plantasia'

Mort Garson’s album Mother Earth’s Plantasia is a cult classic for synthesizer and plant aficionados everywhere.

Written by Julianna Riccioli

In 1976, if you were to buy a houseplant from Mother Earth Plant Boutique (also referred to as simply Mother Earth) in Los Angeles, you wouldn’t just be going home with a new potted pal — you would receive a copy of Mort Garson’s synth album Mother Earth’s Plantasia.

Yet, even in the midst of the 1970s houseplant craze, Plantasia crept into obscurity after its original pressing because it was never sold, and only given away with your plant purchase as an extra goodie. Copies were hard to find throughout the late 1900s and early 2000s, unless you were a DJ or vinyl collector. But, with the 2019 reissue by Sacred Bones Records and the album joining streaming platforms, Mother Earth’s Plantasia (or simply Plantasia) budded with modern audiences. Riddled with ethereal harmonies and delicate melodies, Garson conceived a series of timeless electronic soundscapes “for plants … and the people that love them,” as advertised on the cover of the album.

The 1973 plant care book “The Secret Life of Plants” by Peter Thompkins and Christopher Bird, and their claim that music encourages plant growth, inspired Garson to create Plantasia. Garson, with the influence of Mother Earth’s owners, Lynn and Joel Rapp, created Plantasia with the same goal of Thompkins and Bird — helping indoor plants thrive through music. Including a copy of the Rapps’ “Mother Earth’s Hassle-free Indoor Plant Book,” and playful illustrations by Marvin Rubin, Plantasia is a vibrant collection of mood music about houseplants, designed to bring sprouting buds and their owners warm, cheerful tunes reminiscent of natural sounds.

But, how could Garson create sounds similar to the natural world with just a synth? What exactly are synths, and why are they so revolutionary to the world of music?

Synthesizers are musical instruments that shape soundwaves by synthesizing vibration through a keyboard to create various tones — both new and conventional Instead of the way traditional instruments make music, such as the vibration of strings, the strike of percussion, or the manipulation of air by brass instruments, synths use a vast array of attachments like oscillators, filters, and modulators to replicate the sound of these traditional instruments. There are more in-depth explanations, and several different types of synthesizers, but in short, synths condition electricity from waveforms into sound.

Beyond the psychedelic and counterculture crowds who recognized the synthesizer’s ability to create new sounds, the standard synth didn’t seem to face much commercial promise. At least, not until the Moog synthesizer came along in the mid 1960s — with the introduction of the Moog, artists began to recognize the unforecasted possibilities of music. Bands like the Monkees, Beatles, Rolling Stones, and the Doors began using Moogs and exploring these new sonic possibilities in their records in the late ‘60s. By the mid ‘70s, the innovative technology of the synth became widely known, and a musical revolution was officially underway.

Garson wasn’t new to the music scene when he developed the concept for Plantasia — nor was he new to unconventional concepts and taking musical experiences to the next level. And, with the growing houseplant boom of the ‘70s, his interest in the Moog, and an urge to prove the claim that music does indeed help plants thrive, Garson planted the seed for his next synth record.

Though Garson designed Plantasia to help plants thrive, it’s human listeners who are transported to a magical, foliage-filled world of plant-based synth soundscapes. Many artists in the 70s utilized the synth to simply explore its capabilities in their music, leading to an almost robotic, cold sound. This is what separates Garson from other artists of the time — he used the synth to intentionally create complicated soundscapes full of whimsy and discovery, with a distinctly peaceful feel. Featuring twinkly glissandos, glittery shifts in tempo, and the cheery thrums of synthesized horns and woodwinds Plantasia not only illuminates the innovative sound of the Moog through each track, but it meanders through different genres to highlight the different possibilities of the synth, all in one album.

Tracks like “Ode to an African Violet,” and “Symphony for a Spider Plant” highlight title names reminiscent of the orchestral genre, but with an electronic twist. Similarly, “Rhapsody in Green,” “Baby’s Tears Blues,” and “Swingin’ Spathiphyllums” have titles related to the jazz and blues movements, but sound distinctly futuristic. Thanks to the Moog, each track has a clicky, electronic vibe that permeates through the lush sounds of synthesized nature elements. Garson uses the synth to create soundscapes that are reminiscent of strolling through a futuristic garden, and the listener feels every bit of otherworldly joy they can.

“Plantasia,” the title track, embodies the feeling of walking into a greenhouse of plants. Garson molds the track into a gentle composition of hornlike fanfare, lilting chimes, and electronic tones to mimic nature while embracing the human connection to technology. The listener begins to feel like they are entering the mythical world of Plantasia, where plants and humans greet each other over the harmonious sounds of the Moog. Contrasting other songs at the time featuring synth, and their repetitive, distant feel, “Plantasia” creates warm sounds that make the listener feel comforted by the flowery rhythm and in tune with the plants around them.

Garson’s ability to evoke emotions through his musical interpretation of nature throughout Plantasia sets his work apart from others’, and is what makes his music feel comparatively much more “warm.” “A Mellow Mood for Maidenhair,” for example, utilizes the capabilities of the Moog to not only create the sounds of electric instruments, like the sound of a staccato plucking of strings, but to delve deeper into the different sounds of the track by creating texture. Layers of harmonies are added to create a richer, immersive sonic experience that weaves the listener into a new world itself. While the track could be developed with traditional instruments, like a guitar or bass, Garson is able to manipulate the Moog to mimic the sounds he desires, while challenging the traditional notions of what music is, so the listener can feel the serenity he has established. “Maidenhair” transports the audience into a faraway, tranquil world, without feeling detached or cold from the rest of the tracks.

Garson’s “Concerto for Philodendron & Pothos” continues to envelop the listener into the enchanting, ethereal world of Plantasia through the intricate intertwining of melodies, as the vines of the philodendron and pothos are tangling. The track begins with delicate jingling, musically similar to a marimba, with the contrasting sound of a horn or brasslike humming that Garson has layered atop one another, as one of the many capabilities of the Moog. As the rich orchestration develops, the concerto builds in intensity and depth, as the louder rhythm created with the electronic piano sound is added, resulting in an otherworldly ambience that feels both futuristic and organic. Garson shifts between the light layers of harmonies with the powerful, commanding sound, and the philodendron and pothos are reaching up towards the sun as much as the listeners are to the volume button.

Blossoming with electronic soundscapes of plant-based tunes, Garson’s Plantasia remains a revolutionary synth record. Since its release, Plantasia has been sampled and given inspiration to several artistic projects, such as the theme “Zelda’s Lullaby” of the 1988 video game “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” bearing a strong resemblance to “Concerto for Philodendron & Pothos.” The melodies of the tracks are nearly identical, but composer Koji Kondo utilizes a string ensemble, piano, and ocarina to sonically shift from the hornlike roots Garson established, to create a delicate piano-woodwind ballad that fits in the medieval theme of the game. Garson’s work was a pioneering album for synth artists throughout history, and it’s clear that the artistry of Plantasia has withstood the test of time — and now, hopefully, your plants will, too.

ANALYSISAfterglow ATXNovember 8, 2023julianna riccioli, the sound of music