Zen Gardening (Hardcover)

~ Harte (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A Zen garden can be an oasis in a busy world, a space of calm, tranquility, and beauty, a thing apart from the hectic pace of our lives. Whether a tiny courtyard or larger outdoor space, Zen gardens have in common their few, simple elements arranged to honor nature and celebrate its changing seasons. The design of Zen Gardening contributes to our understanding of the aesthetic, as it is as artful and focused as a Zen garden itself.

How to create such harmony and peace outside our own doors and windows? Sunniva Harte's book inspires with numerous large color photos showing whole landscapes devoted to rocks, sand, and water, or cozy gardens with a few vital Zen elements. But Zen gardens are more than raked sand and a few carefully placed rocks: an entire chapter is devoted to plants for Zen gardens. It begins with a quote from the Japanese poet Kikaku--"Full autumn moon on the straw mat, pine shadow"--and goes on to explain how plants have long been valued in Japan for their changing with the seasons and their sensuousness and textural qualities. Ornamental grasses, pines, Japanese maples, iris, bamboo, mosses, and even hostas are shown used in the Zen manner, with instructions on placement, care, and pruning. Harte also gives instruction on design, architecture, pathways, and materials for Zen gardens.

Those who would like to incorporate a bit of the Zen feeling of tranquility into their everyday gardens, but who don't want to do a total garden remodel, will appreciate the chapter on ornamentation. Lovingly chosen ornaments enhance the Zen atmosphere, serving symbolic purposes as well as working as focal points and humanizing the garden. A variety of simple additions--such as stone urns and lanterns, carved Buddhas, trays of special rocks, decorative wrappings, water basins, and bonsai--personalize and lend an aura of Zen tranquility, much as Zen poet Ikkyu's poem does: "When, just as they are, white dewdrops gather on scarlet maple leaves, regard the scarlet beads!" --Valerie Easton

Product Description

Zen Gardening places every aspect of creating a Zen garden at the hands of today's gardeners. This unique book simplifies the complex principles adopted centuries ago by Buddhist monks, explores their aims in creating outdoor spaces along Zen principles, and reveals the meaning of the different elements and their juxtaposition.

Gardeners will learn to create a controlled and harmonious environment-and, in the process, to nourish the spirit and allow anxiety to gently subside, making room for quiet reflection.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Stewart, Tabori and Chang (October 20, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556709293
• ISBN-13: 978-1556709296
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 9.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #992,024 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good entrance, okay performance, June 15, 2000

By	"pastea2" (Troy, NY) - See all my reviews

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.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars inspirational book, September 15, 2001

By A Customer

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.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book..., October 5, 2002

By A Customer

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.