The Art of Japanese Gardens: Designing & Making Your Own Peaceful Space (Paperback)

~ Herb Gustafson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Often gardeners become so enslaved to the work of maintenance and transformation that they neglect the meditative potential of their green space. Worrying over the details, the whole picture is sometimes lost. This is an attitude Herb Gustafson hopes to check in The Art of Japanese Gardens, a beautifully photographed book that creates in the reader a longing for total silence. Photographs of tranquil bridges, bright spidery Japanese maple leaves, and shimmering ponds are accompanied by unpretentious philosophical asides like "Our gardens can become a profound representation of the universe as a whole," and "We must pause to reflect on our journey thus far." Gustafson is not a stickler for historical detail: his notion of a "Japanese" garden is a hybrid of styles, some ancient, some modern. Chapters include "Boundaries," in which a variety of fences, walls, and gates are presented along with accessible descriptions of construction techniques. The third chapter explores that great dreamlike element of the traditional Japanese garden: the constant sound of running water, artificial streams where "we sit and are relaxed by the never-ending flow."

To truly carry out many of Gustafson's projects, the reader needs to be extremely handy, or planning on hiring a professional. It's also an ideal coffee-table book for the urban apartment dweller who needs to be reminded of peaceful spaces every once in a while, even when the "journey thus far" seems like a series of missed connections and splitting headaches. --Emily White --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

A Japanese garden is, indeed, a thing of beauty and tranquility. Gustafson gives a multitude of ideas and suggestions for creating such a garden, but a rather large lot would be needed--not to mention the expense. In a chapter on boundaries, the author discusses the function of cedar and bamboo fences, safety rails, retaining walls, gates, and tile roofs. In a chapter on rocks, boulders, and stones, he writes about their uses in bridges, walkways, and paths. Water is a large part of Japanese gardens, and Gustafson focuses on its use in ponds, waterfalls, and streams. He suggests having a pavilion or teahouse constructed and offers advice on the use of such garden ornaments as a water basin, rain-catching stones, bronze cranes and deer, stone lanterns, benches, and bridges. There's a chapter on garden design and a list of suitable plants, trees, hedges, vines, and ground covers for the garden. George Cohen --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Sterling (March 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402745001
• ISBN-13: 978-1402745003
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #961,968 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Really Good, April 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Art of Japanese Gardens: Designing & Making Your Own Peaceful Space (Hardcover)

I sent this book as a present for my sister and she loved it. Presently, she is studying landscape engineering. We are both of the opinion that this would assist both the beginner and more advanced landscape students. Not only does it have great ideas, but it expresses it from both visual and written perspectives. This is highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Only mediocre, February 1, 2006

By	RDR (Houston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Art of Japanese Gardens: Designing & Making Your Own Peaceful Space (Paperback)

This book has some lovely photographs, but is very short on any real detail or practical information on making a japanese garden in your own home. I found it much less useful than the Ortho book on Japanese Gardens. I would not recommend it. There are better books for appreciation and better practical guides.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars There is no how-to section on designing and making..., January 17, 2005

By	Cesar K. Ramos - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Art of Japanese Gardens: Designing & Making Your Own Peaceful Space (Paperback)

Take a peak at the excerpt provided. you will notice some acer palmatum japanese maples, in a section for cedar fences, for bamboo fences, fence railing. A back section for plant common and latin names. The are some very rough hand drawings no diagrams. Take a look at the index, look for the words "designing", "making", "creating", or "building".

Coffee table book...get it.
Sunset or Ortho type...don't.