Bacchus,

No, this is the first time I've seen it. It's very interesting. One thing that puzzles me though is that it's headed simply as "Japanese and Western Gardens", whereas lower down they use the heading "Comparison of Formal Gardens". I'm not sure what they mean by 'formal' - I find it difficult to think of Japanese gardens as "formal".

Another interesting comparison would be between the gardens at Versailles and the Imperial Gardens in Tokyo.

And another would be between Stourhead and Rikugien.

A Google search of 'Stourhead' and of 'Rikugien' will give links to lots of pictures of them. Two samples of these are below.

Herb

Herb

The resemblance tween Stourhead and Rikugien settings is striking. It seems that both are heavily influenced by a ballance of positive and negative space - no ornamentation. Both share the same wisdom. Either could flow into the other seemlessly. When you posted the photos of Stourhead a few months back I was taken with feelings of grand space and tremendous depth. It looks like a very unique place - uncommon and not what I would have expected for a European formal garden - it seems more Japanese, but maybe it is about a common truth that both share.

Could it be that Japanese "seems" less formal because of asymetry.

There certainly is a sense there of not comparing like with like. For instance japanese stoll gardens compared with the 'English' style of garden (Capability Brown et al) would seem fairer. Likewise a formal knotgarden contrasted with an enclosed 'zen' karensansui garden - both have similar constraints.

However what they are mostly dealing with is French/Italian garden styling (circa 15th-19th century I think). The formality factor reminds me of the tea ceremony where Japanese people are quite formally attempting a form of naturalistic peasant tea enjoyment. Having said this if I (an englishman) was to stop into the Ritz for tea there's a sense that I would be doing the same - enjoying an everyday pleasue with enhanced formalisms.

To we Western style is 'nature tamed' whilst Japanese style is 'nature perfected'.

Cytania

Am I right in assuming that english tea taking is also sort of ritualistic, albiet on a much simpler more personal level. I read about an Alzheimer study where advaced subjects could perform daily tea making rituals to near perfection.

Given the amount of tea consumed in this country that's not surprising. Tea-making here is almost like a social panacea; any trauma or stress is often countered by offering tea, taking people aside to make tea and so on.

I've read studies that contrasted tea and coffee making that concluded it isn't the caffine that relieves stress but the act of perparation. Tea being more elaborate than instant coffee was more effective. Although I'm sure bean grinding and percolating has a mantra all of it's own ;-)