“A fantastic book for inspiration and also a reference for ideas to incorporate a Japanese touch for your garden. This revised edition features more photography, illustrations and content.”
The image above is courtesy of Kodansha America
TITLE: A JAPANESE TOUCH FOR YOUR GARDEN
AUTHOR: Kiyoshi Seike, Masanobu Kudo, David H. Engel, Photographs by Sadao Hibi
PUBLISHED BY Kodansha International
PAGE COUNT: 100 Pages
A JAPANESE TOUCH FOR YOUR GARDEN
With this book, you can bring a touch of Oriental magic into your own backyard. All the basic components of a Japanese garden and their functions are explained and illustrated: stepping stones, paving stones, stone lanterns, signs and statues; streams, waterfalls, and ponds; bamboo fences, gates and walls. Written by eminent authorities on architectural design, botany and landscape design, this popular book has now been fully revised and expanded.
I love looking at Japanese gardens. There is a feeling of peace and serenity when I look at the garden and the lush green backgrounds to just the placement of rocks. I’ve always been interested on the ideas and the reasoning behind it and about a decade ago, I found a fantastic book titled “A JAPANESE TOUCH FOR YOUR GARDEN”.
Fast forward a decade later and now we have a revised version of that book. This new revision features:
- 192 all-new photographs and a stylish new design
- Twice the color pages with even more gardens to inspire you
- 126 detailed line drawings
The book is broken down to two sections: “The Gardens” and “The Elements”.
“The Gardens” featured on the courtyard garden, the stone garden and the tree and water garden.
The courtyard garden segment featured beautiful photography showcasing the home and the way plants, rocks and placement were featured. And also giving an illustration of the composition of the stones and the pathways. I thought that this was well done.
But the one that will always be pleasing to the human eye are stone gardens. Appreciation towards minimalism and I found this segment alone just beautiful and really empowering.
The tree and water garden of course, is just amazing. Breathtaking. Of course, having an actual waterfall as part of your garden is probably more fitting for the rich and famous but nevertheless, very beautiful to look at and one can find themselves just standing on a bridge or just sitting and watching the water interact with the greenery and the rocks. Simply beautiful.
But once you reach the section on “The Elements”. This section is where all the information for landscapers or those wanting information on Japanese gardens will be interested in. It’s an important chapter because it explains how communication is made from a Japanese garden to the person viewing it.
From the reasoning behind placements of rocks, arrangement of stones, plants, water, bamboo gates, lanterns, etc. and the theory behind it.
The chapter on rocks and stepping stones was a good example that many will like to read because it goes into the theory of placement and just almost like art, how the rocks can give a feeling of having more of a garden and the empowerment felt from them.
The book goes into stone lanterns and how they became a part of Japanese gardens because of the tea ceremonies. The chapter goes into explaining the different lanterns available and their use. And also, stone Buddha’s or lamp posts.
Another chapter goes into water basins and the construction of them. And of course, followed by water-based segments that go into streams and waterfalls.
A section that has been expanded upon is the use of bamboo constructions such as fences, gates and walls.
And the section is then followed by the selection of plants that are used for color and seasonal change.
The book ends with hand-made techniques, an appendices and Japanese gardens one can visit in the United States, the UK and Ireland.
The book is full of information, beautiful photography and just overall, helpful for those wanting to build their own Japanese garden or just simply has a passion for them.
Over a decade ago, I purchased “A JAPANESE TOUCH FOR YOUR GARDEN”. With my passion for Japanese culture, I wanted to have a touch of Japanese flair for my home.
Granted, I was only a college student at the time and having only limited income, I used the book as a reference and for visual ideas. I would use the books diagrams and sketch out where I wanted the plants to go. Where I wanted the rock placements to be located. Then picking out plants that would not only be suitable for our very hot climate and cold climate but plants that would provide color. (Please note that this photo was after the winter, the start of Spring and the bermuda grass was starting to come up and fill parts of my garden).
I would pick out Japanese lanterns and lamps to add to the composition and over Spring, I was able to come up with something that I was proud of (considering my limitations). I was able to create something different in my front yard and eventually, having neighbors and people nearby my home giving me compliments of the work that I was able to create.
I have no landscaping skills (as you can probably tell) but I realize that by using the book and learning about rock placement and using the photos as a visual reference and trying to find plants or similar plants as featured in the book, perhaps I could bring some part of Japan to my own American yard.
So, I can tell you first hand that this book is a great reference for ideas and for those who just love the serenity of Japanese gardens and the ideas and reasons behind it. This revised edition has more photography, more content and illustrations over the original and for those who are wanting to experiment or add a touch of Japan to your garden, “A JAPANESE TOUCH FOR YOUR GARDEN” is definitely for you. Highly recommended!