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Serene Gardens: Creating Japanese Design and Detail in the Western Garden (IMM Lifestyle Books) Practical Introduction to the Tradition of Zen Gardening with Natural Wood, Bamboo, Rocks, and Pebbles
Create a Japanese Zen garden aesthetic in your own backyard! Now in paperback, this beautifully illustrated book provides an inspirational and practical introduction to the traditions of Japanese Zen gardens, using natural materials such as wood, bamboo, rocks, and pebbles. Emphasizing the value of shape in trees and shrubs with the subtlety of color through the varied greens of foliage and moss, Serene Gardens explains how western plants and materials can be used to achieve the natural, minimalist look so beloved by Japanese garden designers. Inside these pages, there are instructions and tips for selecting plants and materials which are readily available, as well as plant lists and climate zone maps to aid western gardeners. As the wealth of stunning color photographs from around the world demonstrates, Japanese garden design is concerned with a reverence for nature and the overall effect is of tranquility. Create much-needed peace and serenity in your outdoor space, with Serene Gardens .
144 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 10, 2014
Amidst the splendor of the scene,
And the silence,
I was filled with a wonderful peace.
Basho
(the opening quote in this book)
This was an enjoyable book on many levels.
The pictures were beautiful done showing both techniques and the inherent beauty of Japanese gardens.
The text flowed nicely while also giving lots of history and facts. And managed to be very informative while at the same time contributing to the peace the opening quote speaks of.
And the silence,
I was filled with a wonderful peace.
Basho
(the opening quote in this book)
This was an enjoyable book on many levels.
The pictures were beautiful done showing both techniques and the inherent beauty of Japanese gardens.
The text flowed nicely while also giving lots of history and facts. And managed to be very informative while at the same time contributing to the peace the opening quote speaks of.
April 25, 2019
All over the world people are attracted to Japanese gardens, usually because they provide a tranquil environment designed to give impression of a natural landscape at its most serene. They possess a unique aura of calm, which derived from an economical, almost minimal use of materials, whether for building or planting.
A garden in the Japanese style is intended to offer peace and quiet contemplation, with restraint, order, harmony, and decorum as the gilding design principles. It is an expression of love for living things, acceptance of the transience of Nature reflected in the changing seasons, and an inspired vision of the eternal.
From the tiniest courtyards to the grandest parks, Japanese gardens invite one to linger and savour their timeless quality.
Japanese gardens of all styles weave their rich tapestry in shades of green, emphasized by white gravel and the greenish-grey of rocks. This is the esoteric aspect of Japanese gardening, particularly the Zen tradition.
Right from the beginning, Japanese gardens were the products of a highly self-conscious culture which tried to recreate naturalistic landscapes near people's houses, but also to find pleasure in reminders of Nature's rugged and untamed wilderness. The choice of landscapes to reproduce was closely connected with how people saw their country. By building islands in the middle of lakes, they were confirming their identity as an island people. During courtly entertainments, these islands provided an ideal stage for musicians, who also performed for gilded and painted boats.
Ornamental bridges serve as focal points in the garden, and they provide an admirable setting for the most prized specimen trees. One tall leafy tree by the foot of the bridge is sufficient to cast some shade over its length; weeping willows and Japanese maples are favourites in Japan, but tall flowering shrubs and alders can make very good alternatives. The other trees and shrubs should be carefully selected in descending order of height.
Humpback wooden bridges with vermilion-coloured railings is very well-known. It needs to be employed with caution lest the bright color overwhelms everything else in the garden. It works best in large gardens, where it can be seen from a distance, its bold color and shape softened by the planting of a delicate weeping willow or a Japanese maple by the foot of the bridge. In Japan these bridges were a part of the aristocratic gardens of the 10th and 11th centuries, which were created around lakes and little islands.
Lastly, the graceful lavender-purple racemes of wisteria have an almost Edwardian elegance when draped over pale stone or red brick. In early summer, the pergola becomes a canopy of cascading blooms. They are given pride of place, uncrowded by other plants, perhaps set against a sedate, deep green backdrop of shapely pines. Wisteria in full bloom forms a dramatic entrance to the oriental section of the garden.
A garden in the Japanese style is intended to offer peace and quiet contemplation, with restraint, order, harmony, and decorum as the gilding design principles. It is an expression of love for living things, acceptance of the transience of Nature reflected in the changing seasons, and an inspired vision of the eternal.
From the tiniest courtyards to the grandest parks, Japanese gardens invite one to linger and savour their timeless quality.
Japanese gardens of all styles weave their rich tapestry in shades of green, emphasized by white gravel and the greenish-grey of rocks. This is the esoteric aspect of Japanese gardening, particularly the Zen tradition.
Right from the beginning, Japanese gardens were the products of a highly self-conscious culture which tried to recreate naturalistic landscapes near people's houses, but also to find pleasure in reminders of Nature's rugged and untamed wilderness. The choice of landscapes to reproduce was closely connected with how people saw their country. By building islands in the middle of lakes, they were confirming their identity as an island people. During courtly entertainments, these islands provided an ideal stage for musicians, who also performed for gilded and painted boats.
Ornamental bridges serve as focal points in the garden, and they provide an admirable setting for the most prized specimen trees. One tall leafy tree by the foot of the bridge is sufficient to cast some shade over its length; weeping willows and Japanese maples are favourites in Japan, but tall flowering shrubs and alders can make very good alternatives. The other trees and shrubs should be carefully selected in descending order of height.
Humpback wooden bridges with vermilion-coloured railings is very well-known. It needs to be employed with caution lest the bright color overwhelms everything else in the garden. It works best in large gardens, where it can be seen from a distance, its bold color and shape softened by the planting of a delicate weeping willow or a Japanese maple by the foot of the bridge. In Japan these bridges were a part of the aristocratic gardens of the 10th and 11th centuries, which were created around lakes and little islands.
Lastly, the graceful lavender-purple racemes of wisteria have an almost Edwardian elegance when draped over pale stone or red brick. In early summer, the pergola becomes a canopy of cascading blooms. They are given pride of place, uncrowded by other plants, perhaps set against a sedate, deep green backdrop of shapely pines. Wisteria in full bloom forms a dramatic entrance to the oriental section of the garden.
January 10, 2021
Monipuolisesti japanilaisen puutarhan ideasta ja elementeistä. Ei pelkkä kuvakirja vaan jakaa informaatiota, josta voi olla hyötyä. Puutarhan idea ja historia japanilaisesta näkökulmasta jäi vähemmälle, mutta tämä olikin enemmän opaskirja kohti toteutusta ja silti edellämainittujakin seikkoja käsiteltiin. Tehokas opaskirja japanilaiseen puutarhaan. Suomen oloihin toki kaikki ohjeet eivät toimi, joten järkevä puutarhuri osaa soveltaa eli poimia idean.
May 17, 2023
Serene Gardens is a coffee table book that can be read cover-to-cover, or used for reference, featuring beautiful color plates on every page.
The first half of this book serves as an introduction to Japanese Gardens, the second half defines the Elements of Japanese Gardens (and how to use them as a gardener).
Yoko Kawaguchi speaks masterfully on the subject. Her writing style is clear, concise, and practical.
The first half of this book serves as an introduction to Japanese Gardens, the second half defines the Elements of Japanese Gardens (and how to use them as a gardener).
Yoko Kawaguchi speaks masterfully on the subject. Her writing style is clear, concise, and practical.
August 13, 2017
A book of plants and flowers with minimal text and maximum photos to help me achieve my stated goal for my "golden years" of sitting in a garden wearing a floppy hat and looking at flowers. ;)
August 8, 2016
Two years ago I moved into a suburban house with a very large garden. It faces south and tapers left, and I've shaped it by creating a secluded, shady space at the back left, dug beds to separate and set up a large pagoda-style gateway. I want it to feel like a tranquil grove - somewhere to sit and reflect. The question of what to do in this space (and the fact that I meditate) has led me start exploring Japanese garden design: an alternative to either leaving things wild or making them very formal. Japanese gardens use form to create a sense of wildness.
Alas, my garden is too modest for the bridges and streams that are described here, but it's an accessible book that tells you about the history and the traditional forms, but avoids being prissy and has suggestions for how Japanese elements can find a place in western gardens: placing a rock, devising a path, making space that focuses on a water feature or a stone bowl.
I don't know how my retreat space will shape up, but the book reminds me not to simply pile on the plants. A few well-placed elements can suggest so much more.
Alas, my garden is too modest for the bridges and streams that are described here, but it's an accessible book that tells you about the history and the traditional forms, but avoids being prissy and has suggestions for how Japanese elements can find a place in western gardens: placing a rock, devising a path, making space that focuses on a water feature or a stone bowl.
I don't know how my retreat space will shape up, but the book reminds me not to simply pile on the plants. A few well-placed elements can suggest so much more.
October 2, 2011
The author does a great job breaking down the concept of a Japanese garden so that there are pieces to look at and consider. Some of the pictures were wonderful, but I was hoping for a little more on the visual inspiration side of things.
November 2, 2008
Excellent full color photographs for design ideas, including water basin and pond (see pages 56-57).
August 14, 2010
A visually pleasing and helpful guide to planning a Japanese garden. It had lovely photographs and many suggested plantings and garden architectural touches. A perfect coffee table book
September 27, 2011
Love those Eastern ideas!
February 3, 2011
Great resource for Japanese influence and background for garden design. This book spoke to me.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews