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Zen Garden for Beginners: A Guide to Cultivating a Peaceful Space of Any Size
Create an outdoor haven of peace and tranquility with this beloved Japanese tradition
Whether it's on a small balcony or in your backyard, a Zen garden can beautify your outdoor space and be a deeply meditative practice. Even if you have no experience with Zen or Zen gardening, this book will teach you everything you need to plan, build, maintain, and enjoy a garden of your own. There's no need for special equipment—Zen gardens are created with natural elements like gravel, rocks, stones, and greenery, making them perfect for the beginner and the minimalist alike.
Retreat to your own tranquil Japanese rock garden with The Zen Garden for Beginners .
Whether it's on a small balcony or in your backyard, a Zen garden can beautify your outdoor space and be a deeply meditative practice. Even if you have no experience with Zen or Zen gardening, this book will teach you everything you need to plan, build, maintain, and enjoy a garden of your own. There's no need for special equipment—Zen gardens are created with natural elements like gravel, rocks, stones, and greenery, making them perfect for the beginner and the minimalist alike.
Retreat to your own tranquil Japanese rock garden with The Zen Garden for Beginners .
140 pages, Paperback
Published September 28, 2021
32 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 25, 2021
This book is about creating zen or rock gardens. According to author Alexandra Fleury, rock gardens are not meant to be walked through and enjoyed the way you would enjoy a typical perennial garden. They are more austere in order to remind people of the absolute, unchanging nature of reality. Zen gardens strip nature down to its most basic elements, and encourage viewers to "release the superfluous and to embody who they truly [are] beyond their thinking minds." With their emphasis on stones, gravel, and evergreens, zen gardens also ask viewers to look for what remains constant.
I enjoyed learning about the different key design elements of a zen garden: asymmetry, simplicity, a timeless aesthetic, natural materials placed in a natural-looking way, freedom from attachment, mystery (in other words, keep some parts of the garden hidden), and tranquility (be calm while you garden). The idea of asymmetry, especially, was an eye-opener for me. Most of the landscape design classes I've taken emphasize the importance of symmetry almost above all else, so I enjoyed hearing a different perspective on that.
The book describes different common physical elements of a zen garden, too--typical plants, gravels, stones, and water features--and gives recommendations and price ranges for each. It also gives some simple examples of ideal zen gardens and offers recommendations for specific tools.
One word of advice I'd give... The book does mention the importance of knowing your cold zone and soil pH, but for real, you need to know that. In the midwest (I'm zone 5), certain evergreens can be tough to grow, given that our soil is very alkaline (think non-draining clay). Many evergreens like acidic, rocky soil. Most evergreens like full sun, too. Here's a list of sun preferences for evergreens that grow well in the Midwest, in case it's helpful to anyone!
Full sun -- juniper (most common in midwest landscape), larch, spruce, pine
Part sun -- fir, douglas fir, arborvitae (most common in midwest landscape), falsecypress
Shade -- yews (most common in midwest landscape), hemlock, plum yew
I enjoyed learning about the different key design elements of a zen garden: asymmetry, simplicity, a timeless aesthetic, natural materials placed in a natural-looking way, freedom from attachment, mystery (in other words, keep some parts of the garden hidden), and tranquility (be calm while you garden). The idea of asymmetry, especially, was an eye-opener for me. Most of the landscape design classes I've taken emphasize the importance of symmetry almost above all else, so I enjoyed hearing a different perspective on that.
The book describes different common physical elements of a zen garden, too--typical plants, gravels, stones, and water features--and gives recommendations and price ranges for each. It also gives some simple examples of ideal zen gardens and offers recommendations for specific tools.
One word of advice I'd give... The book does mention the importance of knowing your cold zone and soil pH, but for real, you need to know that. In the midwest (I'm zone 5), certain evergreens can be tough to grow, given that our soil is very alkaline (think non-draining clay). Many evergreens like acidic, rocky soil. Most evergreens like full sun, too. Here's a list of sun preferences for evergreens that grow well in the Midwest, in case it's helpful to anyone!
Full sun -- juniper (most common in midwest landscape), larch, spruce, pine
Part sun -- fir, douglas fir, arborvitae (most common in midwest landscape), falsecypress
Shade -- yews (most common in midwest landscape), hemlock, plum yew
October 26, 2021
Purposefully obtuse, the author of “The Zen Garden for Beginners”, has created a book that mimics the “ZEN” experience.
Author, Alexandra Fleury, has a well rounded knowledge about Zen Gardens. She provides the historical information behind their beginning and transitioning to contemporary installations. The book is laid out very gently with large text, moderate amounts of white space, muted colors in the garden representations and no actual pictures/photography.
I believe the lack of photography is a decided choice by Fleury. Her intention is for users of the book to create their own garden from personal motivations NOT a picture in a book. She’s very specific about the names of plants and hard scape materials and goes so far as to quote average price ranges for them. Readers and potential Gardeners need to go collect samples of materials, (they’re often given for free in small quantities), look at plant material and large pieces, take pictures as needed and forage for special inclusions, if appropriate, making sure to follow all laws in the collection process.
Keep in mind that there is no “right or wrong” to this Zen Garden. Fleury provides a guide to follow with suggestions on materials, orientation, potential locations and how to construct, use and maintain it.
All things considered, it’s up to you to develop a space that meets your own personal needs and this book can guide you thru the process📚
Author, Alexandra Fleury, has a well rounded knowledge about Zen Gardens. She provides the historical information behind their beginning and transitioning to contemporary installations. The book is laid out very gently with large text, moderate amounts of white space, muted colors in the garden representations and no actual pictures/photography.
I believe the lack of photography is a decided choice by Fleury. Her intention is for users of the book to create their own garden from personal motivations NOT a picture in a book. She’s very specific about the names of plants and hard scape materials and goes so far as to quote average price ranges for them. Readers and potential Gardeners need to go collect samples of materials, (they’re often given for free in small quantities), look at plant material and large pieces, take pictures as needed and forage for special inclusions, if appropriate, making sure to follow all laws in the collection process.
Keep in mind that there is no “right or wrong” to this Zen Garden. Fleury provides a guide to follow with suggestions on materials, orientation, potential locations and how to construct, use and maintain it.
All things considered, it’s up to you to develop a space that meets your own personal needs and this book can guide you thru the process📚
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews