Customer Reviews

Zen Gardening

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4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
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Zen Gardening hits it off strong; Harte puts forth traditional ideas with a not-so-subtle twist - straying away from mystic mumbo-jumbo, opting for the vernacular of the everyday joe. Following many Japanese and Chinese organizational techniques, the author presents simple additions and mods to almost any abode as well as full and luscious decked-out, fully landscaped projects. Some far fetched, and some less so, all are very pleasing to the eye. The illustration and photography in this book are superb. This is a good book to dwell on; pragmatic applications are not this book's strong points.

The strength of this book is it's illustrations. It is not a this is how to do it book. It is one to understand and appreciate the aesthetics. I would recommend it.

but not the only one to own. Wonderful images and good explanation of philosophy, but if you are wanting a nuts and bolts, this is how to do it, this book is not the one. I would add it to a collection of several. I have read it a number of times times and get more out of it each time.

One of the most beautiful photographic representations of oriental garden design available. The photographs and writing are both of excellent quality. The format of the book is put together in a very appealing manner and the overall impression is of a writer who is sensitive to the style and philosophy of the gardens. A sense of quiet and calm pervades throughout. Sunniva loves gardens, people, photography and writing. She is multi-talented and it shows.

If you are a beginner of japanese garden, this is a good book to start. It introduces different garden styles and the spirit of Zen.

This book will not tell you how to build a Japanese Zen garden. What this book will do however, is tell you what should be in your garden, where it should be and why it should (or shouldn't) be there.

Sunniva Harte does a fine job of explaining the concept of Japanese gardening (Zen being one style), ably assisted by a veritable trove of glossy photographs showing Zen gardening at its best.

Purchase this book if you wish to understand the concepts behind Zen gardening. Don't purchase this if you're looking for a 'how to' on Zen garden creation. Nice book.