Status Updates From The Art of the Japanese Garden

Wow, a lot of thought and design goes into making a Japanese Garden! I am liking that this book is going through a lot of the design and meaning behind the different layouts of a Japanese Garden. Such as the meaning behind rocks and the common placements of them and water and the stone lanterns esc.

"At the root of all such basic principles is the understanding that a garden is a work of art."

Despite their traditional inspiration, the gardens at the Adachi Museum have a surreal quality with a distinctly modern feel. Seen through the large windows of the museum, they are 'paintings' to be viewed but not entered. The meticulously maintained landscapes are perfect in every detail. Each morning a small army pick up stray leaves and carefully rake the gravel. See the review for photos through the seasons.

A garden is a work of art. Though inspired by nature, it is an interpretation rather than a copy; it should appear to be natural but it is not wild. A primary challenge is to bring out the intrinsic nature of the landscape scene in such a way that it is beautiful in all seasons of the year.