Japanese-Inspired Gardens

Rating:
Summary: A very good introduction
Review: This brief book served as a great introduction to Japanese gardening philosophy and technique. I must admit that I approached the idea of a Japanese garden with some pretty stereotypical views of what to include and how to structure the space. This book shows how the philosophy is actually more important than specific elements or plants. In fact, I realized that I have been using some of these approaches for years without thinking about it. What I considered to be shortcuts, such as using available stone rather than purchasing, is now part of my routine. The book does provide plenty of specific design suggestions and explains the reasons for these design choices. I changed my methods somewhat after reading this book, but moreover, I changed my mindset and now feel more satisfied with the results. If you want a good, quick introduction to Japanese gardening with some depth, I believe this would be a worthwhile purchase.