|
 Secret
Teachings in the Art of Japanese Gardens: Design Principles, Aesthetic Values
(Kodansha International, 1987). David Slawson’s classic work includes a
translation of the fifteenth-century garden manual, Illustrations for
Designing Mountain, Water, and Hillside Field Landscapes. “This is truly a remarkable book; nominally a garden book, it is also a design
manual, a study of Japanese aesthetics, and a piece of impeccable
scholarship.” --Choice
from Amazon reviews:
“The best book on Japanese garden design theory.”
“An invaluable and in-depth resource. What sets this work apart is its depth
and focus on unraveling the underlying design principles…. Slawson begins with
his experiences as a master gardener's apprentice in Japan and ends with a full
translation of an ancient gardening manual used by Buddhist monks. Each page
overflows with background, details and inspiration. He urges and inspires you
not to transplant an existing garden design, but…to evolve a plan reflective of
your own individual location and taste. By clearly dissecting the aesthetic
principles behind Japanese garden design, the book succeeds in creating a truly
inspirational guide.”
Click here to purchase
Secret Teachings... on Amazon.com
 DVD, In
Full Circle:
The Japanese-Style Garden as a
Work of Art in Progress. Filmed by Paul Krause,
www.DancingSun.biz, written by David Slawson, produced by
Bardwell Smith. Order at
www.carletonbookstore.com
In Full Circle
demystifies the process of creating and
maintaining Japanese-style gardens through examples gleaned from
nationally-respected designer David Slawson’s garden at Carleton College. The
context-sensitive design and maintenance process has several components—response
to site, client, and local materials—timeless sources of inspiration that David
calls the Accord Triangle. The video demonstrates how the same methods used by
the garden’s designer can guide the committed gardeners—artists in their own
right—who tend this living work of art in succeeding decades.
click here for a short video
clip from the DVD
Journal of
Japanese Gardening:
“In a world where poorly-written Japanese garden books appear almost every
month, this work stands out as a quality effort that focuses on the real
Japanese garden tradition rather than the myth-ridden tourist version that so
often dominates. This project definitely earns the Journal of Japanese
Gardening “seal of approval,” and the video’s production and editorial team
deserve great praise for their efforts to edit misinformation and provide in its
place content that is helpful and inspiring.”
 Japanese-Inspired
Gardens: Adapting Japan’s Design Traditions for Your Garden.
David Slawson wrote the lead article
for this
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
handbook. His “principle of natural
habitat” inspired the organization of the final section, “Encyclopedia of Plants
for the Japanese-Inspired Garden.” See the article and order the handbook at
www.bbg.org.
Click here to
purchase Japanese-Inspired Gardens from Amazon.com
david@slawsoncreations.com
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Slawson Creations
