Mythic Gardens has received a mixed response from music critics. Reviewing the concerto's West Coast premiere, Richard S. Ginell of the Los Angeles Times described the piece as "mostly a continuous lyrical song for cello -- ardently surveyed by cellist Sophie Shao -- rambling pleasantly along until the third movement where at last there was some dialogue with the orchestra." He added, "It's listenable, yet it evaporated from memory within minutes."