Zen Gardening: A Down-to-Earth Philosophy [Paperback]

Veronica Ray (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1996

Interest in both nature and spirituality--and the connections between these two topics--has blossomed in recent years. Now, Veronica Ray offers a collection of thought-provoking essays, reflections, and quotations on the art of gardening that reconfirm our timeless spiritual connection to the earth.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

whole Gardening Gardening as work and play and as an activity that involves the soul are topics considered in Zen Gardening: a Down-to-Earth Philosophy by Veronica Ray. In essays that are refreshingly free of prescription or how-to advice, Ray captures the essence of gardening as a restorative, instructive process that offers more valuable rewards than just the anticipated harvest. Addressing an outdoor statue of St. Francis of Asissi as "Frank" and calling for gardeners to work with?rather than in?their plots of earth, Ray reminds us of the joys as well as the demands of gardening. (Berkley, $10 192p ISBN 0-425-15299-5; June) In Growing Myself: A Spiritual Journey through Gardening, Judith Handelsman draws on her personal experience with growing things to offer advice to others. Notable here is her conviction that the gardener can?and should?communicate with plants to establish a nurturing bond that will facilitate their mutual growth. The book includes accounts of the author's travels and environmental tips, e.g., philodendrons can reduce the amount of formaldehyde in the air. (Dutton, $21.95 192p ISBN 0-525-94057-X; June)
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ray's meditations ponder the chores, pursuits, and dreams that many readers who enjoy gardening will find exceedingly familiar. Woven together with these thoughts are reminders of Zen practice, in particular the basic principle of living mindfully in the moment at hand. If integrating this precept into an activity such as gardening is a way to achieve peace of mind, it is also a notion recognizable to gardeners looking to relieve stress, among other benefits. But when that relaxed state slips away, only to be replaced by a dogged ambition that threatens the natural rhythms of tending one's garden, turn to any page in this book for gentle words of encouragement. Ray points the way toward regaining a peaceful attitude while turning the soil for a flower bed, pulling out unwanted weeds, or even welcoming unwanted garden pests along with each wondrous new sprout. Alice Joyce

Product Details

• Paperback: 183 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade (June 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425152995
• ISBN-13: 978-0425152997
• Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,919,702 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not about Zen Gardens!, August 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Zen Gardening: A Down-to-Earth Philosophy (Paperback)

This book is not a practical manual on zen gardens. I live in Kyoto Japan and mistakenly bought the book thinking it would give me some help in planning my tsuboniwa (courtyard garden). It is, instead, the author's sometimes interesting personal musings on her garden. If you are really interested in zen gardens I suggest "A Japanese Touch for Your Garden".

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A pity this is out of print......, March 16, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Zen Gardening: A Down-to-Earth Philosophy (Paperback)

I am a yoga instructor who formerly was a landscape designer, and this tiny book is the most important book in my garden book collection. I bought this book even before I became a garden designer, before I amassed a library of design and garden books that are now gathering dust, and way before I became a yoga instructor because the message is simple yet profound. Truly experiencing what life has to offer involves learning to practice mindfulness, being fully present in every moment, and what better place to start than in your own garden -- just being and experiencing, and not always doing. Read a chapter a day and you will not only cultivate your outside garden but also your inner garden.
Namaste....

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gardener or not, this is definitey worth your time, August 8, 2009

By 

Kate Tutor "katetutor" (Paris, France) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Zen Gardening: A Down-to-Earth Philosophy (Paperback)

I'm not a gardener. (I just want the flowers & not the work.) But this book, while indeed wonderful for gardeners, is a wise & charming exploration of zen ideas which can be applied to every aspect of one's life. In fact, I'm reading a chapter each week out loud with a friend (who also doesn't garden) simply to discuss the zen ideas.