4 comments about Infinite Spaces: The Art and Wisdom of the Japanese Garden.

1. This is such a beautiful book. I look forward to using some of the ideas to build my Japanese garden.



2. If your one of those people that can learn from basic truths and visual stimulous that book is great. Its a simple book with translations from the "bible" of Japanese gardening. And photos to show you examples.



3. This is a better than average coffee-table book about Japanese Gardens. The photos are for the most part excellent (a few are too dark). Many of the gardens shown are located outside of the Kyoto area and have seldom if ever been shown in other such (English language) books on this subject; this is a nice touch because it means that there is little overlap between this book and others. I had high hopes that the book would include a substantial (if not complete) translation of the Sakuteiki but despite the introduction which implies that this might be the case, it is not true. I would guess that less than 25% of the text of Sakuteiki is included, and the authors have rearranged the material into thematic sections to fit their own taste. This is a terrible pity becuase the 11th century gardening manual known by the name "Sakuteiki" is a very important point of reference in understanding the historical developement of Japanese gardens - sections from it are quoted by almost every book written on the subject, yet there is no generally available English translation of it. The 1976 translation by Shigemaru Shimoyama (publ. by Town & City Planners,Inc. Tokyo) was printed in a tiny edition of only 300 copies so the only way to read it is by borrowing a copy thru the academic inter-library loan program at your local public library. The way the authors of this book have rearranged the text into disjointed quotations (with widely varying typographic style & presentation) really does not do justice to the orginal material and is in considerable danger of reinforcing the old western stereotype of "pearls of wisdom from the inscrutable orient". I would suggest that you buy this book for the pictures alone and not pay too much attention to the text as currently presented. If the book is popular enough to merit a 2nd edition I hope the authors will reconsider the current format.



4. The photos are so luscious--I can't think of a more appropriate term--that it's as if you're in these gardens. I believe all of the photos are of the ancient gardens in Kyoto, and if not, they're definately all from Japan. This book is truly one that was inspired by the Sakuteki, not an illustrated edition of the Sakuteki. You'll want it for dreamy page turning, not as an instruction book for your own gardens.

No comments about Planting the Landscape: A Professional Approach to Garden Design.

5 comments about Garden design.

1. I was pleased to see so many areas covered with enough information to do it yourself without further research. Many design guides give you the ideas, but not the full "how to." This book helps you with determining what will work best for you, and then how to go about doing it. The only problem after reading through this book will be deciding which ideas you're going to use.



2. As the chairman of the Society of Landscape Designers, and a member of the Institute of Horticulture in England, Robin Williams summarized his professional experience and extensive knowledge in "Garden design."
   
   "Garden design" covers every aspect of garden design, including the basic of garden design, elements of design (principles, style, the formal garden, the informal garden, the combination garden), establishing priorities (take your time, decide what you want, anticipate change, source of inspiration, complete your checklist), the survey and related drawings, the analysis, the zoning plan, the finished design, the working plan and work schedule, getting started (shaping and contouring, water problems, drainage, irrigation, marking out, space and proportion, pattern and scale, character underfoot), horizontal planting (lawn, decorative ground cover, natural effect), flexible surfaces (softer surfaces, hard surfaces, wood), edging, rigid surfaces (natural stone, reconstructed stone and concrete, paving, bricks and tiles, concrete laid on site,), steps and ramps (planting steps, safety features, ramps), furnishing the garden, plants and containers, garden accessories, water and rock features, leisure and garden games, garden plants, family gardens, water gardens, rose gardens, rock gardens, grass gardens, seaside gardens, plant lover's gardens, country-style gardens, wildlife gardens, deck gardens, city gardens, and dry or Xeriscape gardens.
   
   "Garden design" has 208 pages and over 500 interior color photos and illustrations. It is one of the most comprehensive garden design books, and a must-have for both design professionals and ordinary garden lovers!



3. Firs time I saw this book in library and it was great for me (I wanted to create a nice garden near the house and this book seemed very helpful) so I decided to try to buy the same through internet - found it at Amazon and was suprized about possibility to buy it not for $32 bur for $4.15 (Great Thanks to Smoky Mountain Books !!!) plus shipping ($3.99) - this prise was more than good especially for such a great book. The shipped it quick enought and in "like new" condition. So, now this book helps me a lot with my garden(it has nice pictures and good theoretical information) - it's really great and more thanks to Smoky Mountains for such an affordable price. !!!!



4. This book not only contains wonderful landscape inspirations, but is a wonderful technical resource as well. The detail and diagrams provided help the novice attain professional results with structural elements in the garden.



5. Robin Williams takes the reader on a tour of the elements that make a garden complete. From making a survey of your property to designing a pergola, all types of gardens and garden elements are discussed and fully illustrated. Detailed descriptions and illustrations tell you how to prepare and lay a brick patio, design a special fence to enclosue your yard or even adding a gazebo. For those doing it themselves or those desiring to know how it is done this book is for you with full color illustrations and photographs.

1 comments about From Aztec to High Tech: Architecture and Landscape across the Mexico-United States Border (Creating the North American Landscape).

1. (From Planeta.com Journal) - Subtitled "Architecture and Landscape across the Mexico-United States Border, this book is tour-de-force that gives visual explanations of the great changes at the heart of the US/Mexico Borderlands. The book is expertly illustrated with maps and black-and-white photos, but the majority is space has been crafted by the author. It's a wonderful medley of observations, historical anecdotes and interviews with the architects themselves. Highly recommended.

1 comments about Site Analysis: Linking Program and Concept in Land Planning and Design.

1. As a first year Landscape Architecture student, this book was very helpful for clearly laying out the site analysis concepts. You can't beat the graphics as well.
   
   Apparently, there is a new edition coming out, which might have been nice to wait for, but I needed it for a class. overall, a very good book.

4 comments about Garden Design Details.

1. As a professional designer, writer and photographer, I found this book to be chock full of great ideas! The title and description of the book fit perfectly, in my opinion, in that it did offer beautiful high quality images of a wide array of design ideas that inspired my own creativity. It's easy to get stuck in a rut when you sit at a drafting table or a computer day after day. This book was just the thing I needed to jar me awake and start thinking more creatively at the midpoint of what has been a very long season thus far.



2. On the contrary to what another disappointed reviewer sites as this book's failure to live up to professional landscaping standards, this is a great small reference book! Nowhere in the description does it state that it is anything other than a source for ideas and inspiration. At almost 200 pages it is full of fantastic photos which serve as the jumping off point for what you can aspire for in your landscaping projects. For those of us that don't have regular access to an environmental design library and have few other immediate references than the small thumbnail photos found on the internet, this book fills the niche quite nicely. Re-read the editorial review and I think you'll find this book is as diverse as it is pretty to look into.



3. The book describes function and meaning of landscape elements insightfully yet digested and understandable. This book is useful for both beginner and advance landscape designer. In addition, gists and tips in this book are also useful for public space and urban designer. Picture are well arrange to show creativity in traditional and comtemporary landscape detail design.



4. This book is a coffee table book. The pictures are nice, but it does not give any new or valuable information regarding garden design (no reference to styles or history whatsoever). It is not a book for professionals. I only gave it the 2 stars because the cover and pictures are pretty. If you are seriously interested in design, don't buy this book.

3 comments about Japanese Gardens: Right Angle and Natural Form (Taschen 25th Anniversary).

1. The author must know what he's writing about - he's a Professor! He has included lots of garden theory, which I have to assume is actually important to Japanese garden design. And, as you might expect, the pictures are glorious. But the correspondence between the text and the pics is awful. As I read the text, I had to leaf through the book forwards and backwards to find a relevant illustration. If the author describes a trend in garden design, is it too much to ask that he direct the reader, immediately, to a specific picture that illustrates his point? Shouldn't the text explain the pictures? or the pictures exemplify the text? Shouldn't the linkage between the two be strong and direct? Is this so difficult? I am disappointed in this book; there must be better ones.



2. Taschen publishes some of the best values around and this book was no exception.My only complaint is that we don't see more small private gardens in this volumn .This is a good introduction to Japanese style in the garden.



3. "...our earth is both a living and conscious entity. . .when a human being becomes conscious of himself as part of the earth, and of the earth as part of the universe, so the universe itself thereby becomes conscious of itself. . . enlightenment. . .consciousness becoming aware of itself.
   
   At this delicate moment... a flower opens in the "garden" of the universe."
   
   Japanese Gardens is a 239 page historical visual spiritual odyssey through man's interpretation of nature in confined space. Chapter subheadings focus atmosphere: Gardens as mindscapes, Gardens as subsitutes for travel, Gardens of seclusion, Gardens of austerity, Gardens of joy.
   
   Drawings, b/w and color photos illustrate the history and evolution of Japanese garden design.
   
   The book Intimate Spaces by Joe Earle, exclusively color photographs of spiritual gardens, is a fine complement to Nitschke's book with it's comprehensive written text.
   
   Video sources of garden inspiration can be seen in movie backgrounds: Shogun (5 disc 12 hour miniseries on DVD with extra disc explaining tea ceremony, geisha, samurai), Sayonara (tiny household garden, public garden spaces), The Last Samurai (community as garden, cherry blossom garden), Memoirs of a Geisha (cherry blossom garden).
   
   Actual Japanese Gardens to visit: Japanese Garden San Francisco, Japanese Garden Portland Oregon, Hakone Garden (site of filming of Memoirs of Geisha) Saratoga Village (south of San Francisco) California.
   
   Thoughtful quiet moving book.

5 comments about Architecture in the Garden.

1. Landscape architect Van Sweden's description of his signature process and approach for harmonious gardens immerses us in a new dimension of garden design. This book is a valuable tool for virtually any garden lover or garden designer -- whether transforming a blank slate or just reviving a tired garden. Van Sweden shows us the importance of understanding the underlying architecture of our gardens.



2. I am a landscape designer and I use this book constantly, not only for inspiration, but also for the illustrations provided on how to construct many of the architectural features shown.
   This book has a permanant place on my drafting table and has so many paper clips marking pages--it is by far the most useful book about landscape architecture I have come across.



3. This is a great book to get you thinking about the underlying structure of your garden or outdoor space. Van Sweden's style is low-key yet elegant, and his ideas inspirational.



4. James van Sweden has been designing gardens for over 30 years and he is a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects. In this book he shares with the reader the essential role that architecture plays in organizing the garden landscape. With carefully chosen examples he shows how man-made features of the garden - paths, walls, gates etc. - create the framework for a garden that is both beautiful and easy to live with.
   This book is readable and anecdotal in style, yet it covers the fundamental principles of design and shows how they can be put into practice to enhance many different types of garden. It is extensively illustrated, mostly with the author's own photographs, and these support the text in clearly delineating the applications of design principles to town gardens, seaside gardens, country gardens and so on.

   Despite the author's relaxed approach this is a very thorough book and it will be invaluable to anyone planning a garden. My only quibble is that many of the gardens might be called estates, measured in acres, and to some extent this limits the book's practical value to the gardener with a standard city lot, or less.

   But good "bone structure" is important in all gardens and this book will help any gardener pull together the significant man-made pieces of the garden into a graceful and beautiful whole.




5. James van Sweden has been designing gardens for over 30 years and he is a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects. In this book he shares with the reader the essential role that architecture plays in organizing the garden landscape. With carefully chosen examples he shows how man-made features of the garden - paths, walls, gates etc. - create the framework for a garden that is both beautiful and easy to live with.

   This book is readable and anecdotal in style, yet it covers the fundamental principles of design and shows how they can be put into practice to enhance many different types of garden. It is extensively illustrated, mostly with the author's own photographs, and these support the text in clearly delineating the applications of design principles to town gardens, seaside gardens, country gardens and so on.

   Despite the author's relaxed approach this is a very thorough book and it will be invaluable to anyone planning a garden. My only quibble is that many of the gardens might be called estates, measured in acres, and to some extent this limits the book's practical value to the gardener with a standard city lot, or less.

   But good "bone structure" is important in all gardens and this book will help any gardener pull together the significant man-made pieces of the garden into a graceful and beautiful whole.

2 comments about Groundswell: Constructing the Contemporary Landscape.

1. The book is filled with a series of exceptional projects in dealing with the transition between the interior and exterior space and the multiple ways of ground sculpturing. The projects are displayed with photographs, renderings, and drawings which further explain plan and section design. The book is inspirational and a great reference material.



2. A great collection of different planning straegies. Provides unique and refreshing solutions for designing different urban hardscapes, mostly in the U.S. and Europe. It is also well put together and well thought out.

5 comments about The Granite Kiss: Traditions and Techniques of Building New England Stone Walls.

1. I was excited to get this book, being from New England I was looking forward to having a stone wall book focused in that area. Unfortunately I was immediately let down when I received it. When I turned the pages I quickly noticed that there wasn't a single photo in the book! In my mind this is almost a crime, it would be like purchasing a book on sunsets and finding out there were only scattered black and white illustrations inside.
   Also, the most knowledge filled tidbits of information are quotes the author uses from other stone masons. I recommend their works instead; Charles McRaven's Stone Primer , and John Vivian's Building Stone Walls (a good mix of photos and illustrations, all in B&W, but less expensive than most.)



2. I surprisingly enjoyed this book. I purchased a few other stone wall books with the intention of building my own wall. I originally did not buy this book because other reviewers indicated not any pictures & a few drawings (this is true). But it is a easy read & tells of the pleasure of building in addition to techniques.



3. The Granite Kiss is an endearing look at the practical and esthetic aspects of creating and repairing stone walls. The book has an artistic quality with its extra wide pages with pen and ink drawings of walls under construction or old walls still standing. There are no photos.
   
   There is a feeling of working alongside the author while he idly rambles about the task at hand and jobs he has completed in his career. I especially enjoyed his nicknames for the various rock shapes likely to be found in any imperfect rockpile and the relationships the shapes may have to each other in a completed wall. All in all, stone wall building is a task of patience and persistance - which the author relays in topics such as: spreading the "good" rocks out; working with rocks that are not perfect blocklike shapes, time management; and what is likely to stand the test of time.
   
   This is a book to get you into the slow and methodical, but contemplative mood for learning and practicing this dying art.



4. Of the half-dozen books I bought in preparation for recycling some of the old stonewalls up through the woods on our farm into a new retaining wall, this is my clear favorite. It is more detailed than John Vivian's Building Stone Walls, particularly when it comes to retaining walls. Because it is not as glossy and illustrated as Haywards' Stone in the Garden or David Reed's Stonescaping (which are, by the way, both excellent in their own right), I'm not as wary about taking it out to the project with me.

   The text is clear and concise, and includes a healthy dose of stone philosophy and the index is detailed enough to help the do-it-yourselfer find what he needs, but short enough so that he can find what he wants, even if he does not know the proper name for it.

   However, the main reason I like this book so much is Gardner's assurance that anyone who puts his mind to it -- which includes me -- can build a stone wall. While his respect for old stone walls and the art of building them is obvious, he also has a healthy dose of practicality. "The notion that all, or even most, of the old stone-work we see around New England is the result of concentrated applicaion of arcane skill," he write, " is demonstrably false." Once that sacred cow was out of the way, my confidence level went up and anything seemed possible.

   The black & white drawings that illustrate the text are clear and very helpful.




5. This is a wonderful book...it's about stone walls, and about building stone walls, and all the things stone walls have meant and done for 350 years, and what it feels like to live and work in a place where just past the urban sprawl every one of those 350 years blends with this one (and if you look out the corner of your eye there're older times than that hiding in the shadows.)

   It's not a homeowner howto, though it's got everything you can learn from a book. It's a book for masons who love their craft, New Englanders who love their home place, and anyone who likes good work. Whatever that means to you.