ТОП просматриваемых книг сайта:
Heaven is a Garden. Jan Johnsen
Читать онлайн.Название Heaven is a Garden
Год выпуска 0
isbn 9781943366125
Автор произведения Jan Johnsen
Издательство Ingram
The design ideas you will encounter in this book are a blend of modern and traditional practices, some that go back thousands of years. I have found that mixing contemporary taste with historic design approaches makes a garden more relaxing and encourages that magical “stop time” we all desire. It allows us to enter into an unhurried state of mind, no matter what is going on beyond our garden gate.
My fascination with plants began early in life, even though I grew up in the concrete environment of New York City apartments. In high school I won the Manhattan Science Fair with an experiment on the effect of sound on the growth of plants. My premise, those many years ago, was that high-pitched sounds help plants grow. It seemed slightly absurd then, but now, scientists have determined that the high frequency vibrations of birdsong help to open up the pores on plant leaves so that they absorb more nutrients and grow more rapidly. In effect, the sound of birdsong stimulates plants to grow faster!
As a college student I lived in Kyoto, Japan, and worked at a high-pressure architecture office in Osaka. On weekends, I would visit the famous Japanese gardens and it was there that I found my calling. As I walked the green, mossy pathways and breathed in the cedar-scented air, my mind would clear and I felt stress melt away. This experience opened my eyes to the restorative powers of serene gardens. I saw what sublime peace could be had even in a small garden within an urban environment. I subsequently went to work in a Japanese landscape architecture office and left to study landscape architecture at the University of Hawaii.
This mossy path symbolizes a journey and the forks in the road we all face.
Flower planters on steps add a colorful punch. The soft flowers against the stone are a lovely contrast. The wall light highlights the flowers at night.
My exposure to many cultures began a lifelong study of how our forebears interacted with Nature. I learned that the Celts and Japanese honored certain trees, that the Greeks used the golden ratio in their designs and that water in a garden lifts the spirits. In this book, I share these insights with you, and many more. I hope that it may prompt you to see the outdoors a little differently. For instance, once you know why east is considered auspicious in many traditions, you will never site a gate or a garden bed without this cardinal direction in mind!
Heaven is a Garden is an introduction to the key elements that make a landscape feel balanced and harmonious. Some of the elements are so much a part of our lives – like trees and rocks – that we may not have actually paid attention to them before, or realized what kind of subliminal effects they have on us. So, perhaps this book will serve as a re-introduction to some of the wonders that exist all around us in Nature, just waiting for our eyes to truly see them. To bring you from concept to application, I’ll be offering suggestions of specific practices and plants that I have found work well together to evoke a deep sense of serenity.
In these pages you will find chapters that explore each of these key landscaping elements:
• The Power of Place considers the ways terrain can be molded and accented to create sanctuary and meaning.
• Creating Music for the Eye shows how shape, line and proportion can unify a garden.
• Calling on the Trees addresses the enlivening influence of our arboreal friends by deciphering the language of the trees.
• The Magic of Water delves into water’s mystery and the many ways it enhances an outdoor environment.
• A Rock’s Resonance explores the powerfully evocative qualities of stone.
• Color – Nature’s Catalyst reveals the therapeutic effects of color and light in a garden design.
Many of the photographs in the book were taken in gardens I have designed. I have intentionally kept the text to a minimum to allow the photographs to speak for me as much as possible. I believe, as Shakespeare wrote, that we can “…find tongues in trees, books in running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything…” (As You Like It).
It is my hope that Heaven is a Garden will help you hear those sermons as well. Whether you are an individual intending to create a beautiful backyard garden, a landscape architect or designer wishing to expand your ideas for your clients, or someone who is just thinking about designing a dream garden, this book will give you insights to help you create a glorious outdoor space – perfect for inspiration and reflection.
The timeless appeal of dainty flowers against stone. A planting pocket within the wall is a good way to do this.
ONE
The Power of Place
Consult the genius of the place in all.
– Alexander Pope
A “heavenly” garden stills the world and holds you in its embrace. As you walk beneath leafy canopies or beside colorful flowers, wellbeing’s cloud envelops you and the stress of modern life slowly drops away. This garden has little to do with its size and everything to do with the emotional connection it makes with you. Your garden paradise can be as simple as a sundappled deck overlooking a small cascade or a homey terrace filled with planters and statuary. It can be an expanse of lawn bordered with exuberant flowers or a rustic scene of native plants and rock outcrops. Whatever your vision of a heavenly garden, it should fulfill your desire for a private space where you can enjoy Nature’s glory – where you can breathe and just be. Nowhere else do we feel as uplifted as when we are in a setting designed for relaxation and contemplation. Another way of describing such a place is “an unhurried garden.”
I love to create long, sweeping grass steps as these shown here. They are simple, gracious and relatively easy to install.
A heavenly, unhurried garden should be designed with three basic features in mind: simplicity, sanctuary and delight. Let me start with those three lovely words and show you what I mean.
Simplicity. When you have economy of form and line in a garden, the effect is calming and restful. A good example of this is a gently undulating plant bed. Its sweeping lines are relaxing and – though simple – can be as compelling as a rectilinear formal garden. “Less is more” is the rule here.
Sanctuary. Have you ever noticed that the most desirable place to sit outdoors is with your back to a wall or a tall hedge and looking at a lovely view? The security you feel in such a protected area is what I term “sanctuary.” It is the draw of a shaded walk, the call of a hidden gazebo or quiet niche. It is the lure of the sheltered corner.
A low, semi-circular retaining wall and a rock garden