Zen in the Garden: The Japanese Art of Peaceful Gardening

by Miki Sakamoto

Spring, summer, autumn, and winter: wherever you are, the seasons come and go, bringing changes both welcome and unexpected.


Japanese by birth, but transplanted to Europe in adulthood, Miki Sakamoto has spent a lifetime tending her garden and reflecting on its mysteries. Why do primulas bloom in snow? Do the trees really ‘talk’ to one another? What are the blackbirds saying today? And is there a mindful way to deal with an aphid infestation?


From rising early to walk barefoot on the grass each morning, to afternoons and evenings spent sipping tea in her gazebo or watching fireflies as she recalls her childhood in Japan, in Zen in the Garden Sakamoto shares observations from a life spent in contemplation — and cultivation — of nature. She shows us that you can create Zen in your life, wherever you live and whatever form your outdoor space takes.

Genres: Nonfiction, Gardening, Nature, Memoir, Buddhism, Japan

Audible Audio

Published June 1, 2023

Reviews

[Randy Kelty · Rating 5 out of 5]

:)

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love ready nature biography or anthologies as the seasons turn. It helps me recognize the expansiveness on the tiniest moments. Zen philosophy reflects nicely with subtle aspects of nature. The reflections and collaborations work well together, is a nice easy read - one I look forward to reading again at the turning of summer to come

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more than I needed to know about gardening in Germany. It is unique in that a Japanese is doing the gardening. I can related to her dealing with garden pests, maybe aphids are worldwide. I have a better understanding of "zen" as a way of relating to gardening rather than a type of gardening. Also, this book has an extremely attractive cover.

[Rachel Welton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peaceful, gentle reading. Not sure how the magical and erroneous idea that plants absorb nitrogen from the air got missed in the editing stages. I was drifting along happily enjoying the harmony and buzz of bees, then a mistake like that throws a bucket of cold water over me.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating: 4/5

Medium: Audiobook

Why I read this: I've recently gotten into gardening and wanted a book that would help me embrace the slow, rewarding process of tending a garden across the seasons — a project that’s never truly finished and thus requires different lenses through which to experience it

Highlight: The way this book encouraged me to slow down and notice the fleeting, often imperceptible moments in nature — both in plants and wildlife — that shape a small urban garden

Lowlight: I struggled to keep my mind from wandering at times. That might just be the nature of the book — more a collection of Sakamoto’s poetic, stream-of-consciousness reflections than a structured narrative — but it made for a listening experience that required full attention

I would have given this book a better rating if: I hadn’t found it so hard to stay fully engaged... but honestly, that might have been more about me than the book itself. It felt like one long, meditative experience rather than a traditional story — beautiful in many ways, but also demanding my full focus rather than being something I could half-listen to whilst multitasking

Do I plan to read more books by this author? Absolutely!

You should read this if: you want to fully experience a book rather than just read the words, and if you're looking to deepen your connection to gardening — beyond (or perhaps beneath) the weeding and composting

What you should read next if you enjoyed this: 'The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative' by Florence Williams

[Audrey Tang · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will put in a different perspective for gardening. The author shows tips on how to live a more peaceful life in this hectic, over busy world over the courses of 23 short chapters and great little "contemplations" or "meditations" that will calm your frazzled thoughts and help you get back into a place of peace and restfulness.

[Walt Oh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the beginning of this book a bit disappointing because I couldn't discern what it was trying to tell me. Rather than give up, I let the rest of the book wash over me and affect me and affect my thoughts for the rest of the day. Reading in this way, I found it deeply satisfying and peaceful 🧡

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was exactly what I needed to accept the shortening days and look forward to planning my garden this winter. It was beautiful, poetic and meditative to read if you love your garden and all the life within.

[Diana Cheal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting and I think it’s more a book to dip in and out of, rather than read in one go.

[Kristie Schoffield · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very relaxing read

[Päikeselill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paneb aiatoimetustele ja ka elule üleüldisemalt teise nurga alt vaatama. Näitab igapäevaelu meditatiivsust.
Tuleb tunnistada, ma ootasin midagi hoopis muud!

[Rhianna Cowdy · Rating 3 out of 5]

So lovely and refreshing made me feel at peace

[Teri B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an interesting and uplifting read, reading about the author's experience in a different climate on a different continent than she grew up in.

[Phoenix1000 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook

[Danielle D’Onofrio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a slow and gentle insight into the authors relationship with her little slice of the world. Loved escaping into this calm nurturing oasis.